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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Rubble and dust where buildings and houses used to stand. That was a sentence that could have described Twilight Town even before this day, but now there were remains where they weren't before. The appearance of the large Heartless beast had been expected, and while it had managed to do damage, it could have been so much worse. It seemed like the brave warriors had managed to keep it contained, only the Sandlot and its surroundings really seeming to have taken the worst of it. An area that should have been empty, save for the ones willing to fight the monstrosity… But anything could have happened!
Something might have driven people there, despite their precautions. There might have been more Heartless around. A building might have collapsed at the worst possible time. Anything! Even if the sounds of battle had long dispersed and relative peace and quiet had settled in Twilight Town, there was a voice calling out.
Marmadue didn't really have it in him to keep running all over the town, not anymore. Pure adrenaline had forced his legs to move earlier, but that had caught up to him now. Everything ached and he hadn't even been a part of the fight himself! Not being a part of that was probably what pushed him to make sure that no one had been injured or trapped underneath the rubble. He wasn't completely alone, in sense. Those who still had it in them and could get from place to place faster than him looked further, with the instruction to come get him if there was someone in such a condition they were unable to walk. Anyone who could, well, could come to him or wait at his temporary home, if they had the time.
The Yuke assumed the immediate surroundings to be the worst off, if there were to be any victims. He hoped that he could get to them the fastest by starting his search there, knowing that his legs weren't the fastest nor could they even keep his top speed as long as they probably should have. There was the issue that he wasn't strong enough to lift anything heavy to free someone who had gotten stuck, however. A thought that was creeping in Marmadue's mind, but he just had to make do with what he had. The others would aid him, once they were done. Anyone they found who could help would come. Surely.
"Hello? Anyone? If you are hurt or trapped, please make as much noise as you can!"
Post by Alice Kingsleigh on Jun 27, 2018 21:11:13 GMT -4
Fingertips tapped on the silver hilt of the Vorpal Sword, filling her with a sense of gut-churning dread. The screams had stopped, silence reigned again… and yet, Alice remained on edge. She looked over the area once again – most had sought refuge in the nearby stores and shelters, but a handful, like her, stood out on the streets. The atmosphere thickened with their collective uneasiness. They were waiting for something, perhaps expecting to feel another tremor underneath their feet or to catch a glimpse of the beast originating the disturbance.
In any case, fear was palpable at their temporary sanctuary in Station Heights.
Alice had opted not to join the fight in the Sandlot, despite that morbid feeling of curiosity. Her hunch suggested more capable warriors would stand to face that task… and she trusted her hunch. She was far beyond questioning such instincts. Instead, the woman had taken it upon herself to shepherd stranded citizens to what she deemed the 'safe area'. She hadn’t been wrong about that. Many a monster had fallen to the Vorpal Sword as they attempted to claim new hearts in the confusion. Alice had even managed to conjure a couple of spheres of light to do away with a group of lesser ones – such hearts were purified as they soared away from anyone’s reach.
"Looks like it’s… gone. It’s over." Alice’s eyes found a young boy’s – no older than eight and ten. His brown hair was plastered to his forehead with sweat. A name escaped her in that moment, but she remembered he’d been one of the few attempting to organize the crowds as she arrived with her own flock of survivors. His tone emulated self-reassurance rather than confidence, as if he believed merely sharing such hopes would make them a reality. Kingsleigh empathized with the sentiment… and again, her hunch hinted at there being a degree of truth in those speculations. The darkness, though still present, somehow felt… lighter all of a sudden. A welcome change, she was sure.
"If so, it might be wise to search for other survivors near the Sandlot. I’d like to believe most left the area unscathed, but…" Alice trailed off, though her intent seemed clear enough. She rose to her feet and away from the wooden barrel she’d been resting on, eyes lingering on the path that once led to the Sandlot. That was as good a place to start as any. "I’ll be going that way. I suggest some of you leave for Tram Common and do the same."
The structural damage grew exponentially the more she ventured into the area. Debris covered the streets and left scarcely any visibility of what remained underneath. Then again, speeding through wasn’t exactly Alice’s aim. She threaded her way with care, glancing over her shoulder more times than she’d like to admit. The captain nearly tripped on a fallen lamp-post as she walked down a slope. She wondered how long would it take to pick up the scraps left by this particular incident.
"Hello? Is anybody there?" Her voice called out to anyone possibly trapped beneath the rubble, but after a few seconds she failed to hear a response. Perhaps she ought to speak louder, just in case there was somebody else within earshot.
Alice turned around a corner, avoiding the spilled innards of what she took for a waste container, before her ears picked up a sound.
It was a voice, a rather peculiar one. While the speech was indistinguishable from that distance, its tone felt vaguely familiar to her. Where had she heard it before? "Hello?" Kingsleigh spoke once again, this time a little bit louder than before. Her gait picked up the pace as she attempted find the other voice’s source. "I'm sorry, but I couldn't understand the first time! Can you hear me? Are you injured?"
Her thoughts lingered on the star-shaped artifact she’d obtained from one of the Moogles. Alice wasn’t exactly sure how these 'Materia' worked – she hadn’t even used them yet – but the alchemist had spoken of the healing properties this green one seemed to possess. If she ended up finding someone that needed medical attention, she’d just have to improvise with it.
"Just remember to follow the river’s course, Alice. Just follow the course."
Marmadue didn't know if the silence that responded to his questions was supposed to be reassuring or unnerving. No response because there was no one who had been injured, or no response because he was unable to hear it? Or… Because there was no one who could answer left. A thought that send a chill down his spine and caused his feathers to stand, for sure! Or perhaps it was just the atmosphere. Or… Everything.
There was… Something he could hear, after a moment. Just the wind? No, speech, he was quite certain. Something like it, at least. The Yuke stopped, focusing on trying to make out something, but the source seemed to still be too distant. The next order of business was to of course try to determine its source. "Keep talking, please!" He called out, approaching through the littered street and avoiding the rubble to the best of his ability. Emotions had turned into a rather complicated mess of uncertainty and, oddly enough, relief of actually finding someone. But would it have been better to not find someone in this situation?
As Marmadue cleared the corner, he could finally feel some of his tension leaving his and relief washing over. A familiar face, not in any peril, seemed to have been the source of the words he had found. Alice. A quick look from afar was enough to tell that she was at the very least able to walk on her own two feet and didn't seem to be in awful shape. A sight for sore eyes, for certain. "Miss Alice!" The Yuke's voice was definitely happy to see her. Of course he hoped for there to not have been any casualties, and she was one confirmed person to not have suffered that fate. But then again, that didn't mean everything was fine. As he forced his legs to cross the distance faster than they would have liked to, worry started to once more bubble inside him.
"Are you… Are you unharmed? Have you seen anyone in peril? Heard? Ah, anything?"
Post by Alice Kingsleigh on Jun 30, 2018 10:09:27 GMT -4
Turning around the corner, a tall figure soon hove into view. Alice’s eyes were immediately drawn to the helmet it sported. Hues of gold glimmered even among the shadows of perpetual night. The entity spoke, and a much clearer sense of familiarity rushed through her. A relieved smile spread across her face. This one she knew. "Mister Marmadue!" she called back, meeting the Yuke halfway across the rubble covered street. She stole a brief glance beyond his shoulder and concluded he wasn’t being followed. Another source of relief… though this apparent solo campaign of his did raise some questions of its own.
"Some of us fared better than others. I tried to get as many people as I could away from this area while… well, whatever happened here was happening. The ground was quaking, and Heartless appeared to be targeting people even in the 'safe zones'. They looked as if they were almost… coordinated, if that’s even possible." She paused, taking in the state of her surroundings. It was clear that her group hadn’t been on the worst side of the situation. She could only hope most had managed to leave in time. "But it seems like matters have taken a turn for the better. There’s a group of us resting back in Station Heights. Most of them remain unharmed besides some scrapes and bruises. I sent a couple to evaluate the damage in Tram Common before I decided to come here. Hopefully things aren’t as dire there as they look over here."
"I am so glad to see you. For a moment, I feared for your safety when I didn’t see you with the other group." A soft sigh escaped her lips as she took a better look at him. Marmadue seemed... tired. Had he rushed all the way over there to find and heal any wounded? "I… can’t say I was expecting you to be here, though. Did you… manage to see what happened?"
Marmadue's chest was rising a bit faster than normal as he caught his breath. Not having been exactly… Present during the whole invasion, hearing what had happened in the rest of the town was new to him – and unfortunately, it sounded like it hadn't been exactly easy outside the battle, either. Heartless really had attacked others, the girl even describing their movements as something coordinated… How horrifying. But it was better now, Alice thought. They hadn't gotten too injured either, her and her group. Something that was enough to make the Yuke let out a sigh of relief. It was good. It was good to see her.
"I… Ah, it is slightly complicated. By the time I was present at the battle site, it, ah, was over. The threat neutralized. It… Is over, miss," he started. It was all a lot to take in for both of them, telling each other what they knew. Marmadue didn't know a better place to start than confirming that there was no danger anymore! Well, at least the one that had been present until recently. "No casualties. Though, ah… Hm. Ah, have you seen anyone? Around ah, anywhere? Someone who wasn't with you? Be they unharmed or injured? I-I am ah, attempting to search the area for anyone who might be able to help us make sure no one is trapped or hurt. There are others, but there is a lot to search."
And not many healers to go around. They did have Oswald's… Cat, as he called it, the strange little magical creature that did have a passing resemblance to a cat, but not quite. Two separate moving sources, but the Yuke had a feeling that with the two of them, they couldn't get everywhere in time if they didn't have more fast legs around them. And if there still were Heartless around, Mister Maxwell could…
Post by Alice Kingsleigh on Sept 12, 2018 4:12:36 GMT -4
"The threat."
Alice's thoughts went back to the boy with chestnut hair, and the little information (or 'speculation', as some would argue) he and the others had shared back at Station Heights. Many had been skeptical of the shaky intel, deeming the sudden appearance of a gigantic beast too improbable or unrealistic. The woman knew better than to dismiss the claims, though. Her experiences with the unlikely and illogical were far too many for her to ignore. Still, she had yet to understand how other people could just block the circumstances surrounding their predicament from their mind. That itself should’ve been enough to throw conventional "logic" out the window.
The princess shook her head at Marmadue's questions. Part of her regretted not being able to be of much help to the Yuke, but… in this case, perhaps this was a good thing? It was certainly preferable to finding themselves in a blood-coated battlefield, and she'd much rather not have another 'Horevendush Day' in their midst. Tarrants stories were quite enough for her on that end. But alas, the girl could only hope the silence in the area meant no one else had been injured in the attack.
"I'm afraid I may not be as physically able as others in town, but… I'll assist in any way I can. I've been working on harnessing my light, per your instruction. And I've received some healing artifacts from the Moogles, which may be of use here. There must be something I can do to contribute, so… please, feel free to make use of my abilities as you see fit."
Alice turned to look at the debris laying around them. It didn't seem like anyone was trapped underneath, but… people could've been rendered unconscious in the assault. They ought to search for survivors anywhere they could. No stone left unturned.
The girl shook her head when Marmadue asked about whether or not she had seen anyone – good, as that meant there weren't a lot of injured just waiting all around town. At least, nowhere visible. But it also meant she hadn't run into Maxwell, still on the run and his whereabouts unknown, his state clearly that of confusion. Not a good combination, that. Marmadue glanced downwards, his gaze lingering for perhaps a bit too long as his thoughts occupied him. Once he was back in the present, he quickly turned to look at Alice, listening to her words.
"Ah, yes. Most excellent, miss. I ah, must admit I lack the experience of ah, rescue work. Any help is of great value," the Yuke gave Alice a few nods of satisfaction and encouragement. Not that he exactly knew how he would make use of others in this situation, but more heads working on that problem was going to be helpful! And, perhaps, just maybe, Alice had a faster pair of legs on her, if that ended up being necessary.
"Let us keep our eyes and ears open. Our ah, ears might being more important, here," he continued, his eyes scanning their environment. As long as there were toppled buildings, someone could be stuck underneath them in need of help. And that meant they couldn't see them! "Hello? Anyone? If you can hear me, please ah, please make as much noise as you can!" Marmadue called out, his voice raised. He started to move again, but his pace wasn't very fast. He couldn't rush, lest he missed out someone in need. The Yuke also had pauses between his calls, listening in between for even the smallest of sounds. Or, at least he tried.
Post by Alice Kingsleigh on Sept 16, 2018 7:17:22 GMT -4
Alice nodded at Marmadue’s plan, deciding to follow closely behind. It didn’t take long for her to raise her weapon as her survival instincts started to kick in. Call her paranoid, but they were better off with someone watching their backs… just in case anything unpleasant happened as they made their way through the area. The beast might’ve been slain, but that didn’t mean there weren’t others lurking in the shadows. She’d be surprised if there weren’t; the chaos provided an excellent opportunity to seek isolated and weakening hearts. The princess just hoped they’d be able to get to them before worse came to worst.
The rubble and the persistent darkness made their rescue efforts more difficult to pursue as they got closer to the destruction’s epicenter. She, like the Yuke, kept her eyes and ears open for any signs of distress. Nothing seemed to be biting. Frustration soon began to build up within her. She was almost tempted to join Marmadue in the calling duties just to feel like she was helping in some way.
"Mister Marmadue, if I may," Alice spoke up, her walk coming to a halt. Her eyes quickly scanned their surroundings for any signs of danger before she continued. "What if those trapped under the wreckage were rendered unconscious during the attack? They wouldn’t be able to call out for help then. Is there… any spell you know that could help us find out if there are other people nearby?"
The thought of attempting to do it herself briefly crossed her mind. She’d heard of the concept of "energy waves" during her travels through the Indian Ocean, phenomena emitted by objects and sentients only to reflect off others. Maybe she could take that as a basis. Alice wasn’t sure if it would work, but she could try calling out to the light in the hearts of those nearby. It could potentially allow her to find them, perhaps even wake them if she focused hard enough.
Maybe she was just getting ahead of herself.
Her internal debate was promptly interrupted as she watched a shape move out of the corner of her eye. In one swift motion, Alice turned to aim her extended sword arm at the direction of a possible perpetrator.
Nothing.
Mere moments had passed when a loud clang emerged from the alleyway next to the pair.
Their search was… Quite unfruitful, not producing any results. But that didn't stop it from feeling tense. Was it good, that they didn't find anyone? Were they already too late? Had they been too late ever since the beginning? Bone-chilling thought, those. Perhaps things weren't that bad. Perhaps the worst was already over. Whatever it was, there were no replies to his calls. Many light sources had been depleted from the area thanks to the attack, eventually making it quite difficult to see due to the darkness. A quick fix existed, the Yuke's hand starting to glow with magic in an attempt to light their surroundings better. They had to be able to see, after all.
It had gotten so quiet, that even the tiniest of creaks sounded so loud and noticeable. Good for them, honestly. It made it easier to hear. But when Alice spoke up, it honestly caused Marmadue's heart to skip a beat, forcing him to come to a stop. Turning to look at the girl to see what was on her mind, he had to admit that her point was a very valid concern. "Ah. An astute observation," he nodded. This was why two heads were better than one, surely. It was so easy to just follow a single path once one started on it – and how stressful everything had been, it certainly made the mind too tired to come up with every possible explanation!
However, it was a point that just made everything worse. The Yuke let out a quiet hmm as the idea of a spell to search for those one couldn't see came up. Compared to Alice, he might have been more experience with magic, yes. But that also meant he was already more familiar with what he could do, sudden epiphanies something that just didn't happen unless there was something new added to the mix. He could, unfortunately, say that he lacked such an ability.
"In my repertoire, ah… No. I am afraid I do not have such an ability. But the existence of such is quite plausible," a given, even. Something that surely existed and could be tapped into. Even if he couldn't, Alice was still learning and finding her abilities. Perhaps…
An idea he couldn't suggest, the girl's sudden movement forcing him to take a more defensive pose and focus on what was happening. Alice was prepared for… Something, her sword extended. Marmadue glanced down, then around him, feeling all around uncomfortable. But… Nothing. Nothing was coming out. No one he could see. No soun–
A clang loud enough to wake even the deepest of sleepers caused the Yuke to jump, his feathers standing. Alright, there was something in there. Or something broke. His mouth felt awfully dry for a moment. Surely not another Heartless…? "H-Hello? If you are in need of assistance, we ah… Are here to help," Marmadue started, his voice wavering and coming up with each word was a struggle. He raised his hand in an attempt to shine light to the situation – literally. Maybe it wasn't an enemy.
Post by Alice Kingsleigh on Sept 19, 2018 3:29:07 GMT -4
Sounds continued to pour out of the dark alleyway, thickening the already palpable tension in the air. Alice felt her pulse quicken. Adrenaline was released, her eyelids raised, and her pupils dilated. The myriad of clangs offered a steady beat, though there was something definitely shaky about them. If someone, or something, were to be behind this, the captain would take it to be a product of their subconsciousness. Either that or a lack of a conscience.
And so she moved. Her posture shifted almost on instinct. Kingsleigh stood between Marmadue and the unknown, now bearing her weight on her right foot. She pulled back her sword arm in preparation, allowing her right to raise a shield so silver the Yuke’s magical light appeared to race around it. She took a deep breath… and waited.
The mystery rattling stopped for a few moments as Marmadue called out to its source. This time It answered with a different sound, though Alice herself failed to make any sense of it. It appeared to be an inaudible, guttural note… a low groan of sorts. A weak, shaky groan. Was this… was this a person? One of the victims caught in the crossfire? If so, she had to assist. Were they in danger? Injured? Were they on their own in that alleyway, or with a group? Questions kept bombarding her mind… but she ought to focus on the things she could do to help. The princess gave her left leg a small shake, making sure her new healing materia was still there and ready to be used if needed.
A sudden movement among the shadows almost led her muscles to tighten, but luckily she was able to make out a face as the magical light shone on… well, him. A single human male, laying on his chest, dragging his way out the alleyway with arms drenched in crimson. Alice immediately took notice of the tall, cylindrical shape vertically attached to his lower body. It wobbled, albeit slightly, every time the man pushed forward. The painful expression spread across his face indicated this pole probably wasn’t supposed to be there in the first place.
Alice gave her friend a worried look before taking a step forward toward the injured…
A different motion urged her to stop this time. Brown eyes widened as a thick, dark liquid began to expand next to the male. It almost seemed to be bubbling, hungry, with small tendrils of black slowly reaching out… searching… searching. A sudden feeling of heaviness invaded her chest. The princess knew what this was… she knew it all too well. They needed to get that man out of there, and quick.
However, that moment’s hesitation, brief as it was, cost them dearly. A pair of black hands reached out of the pool, tightening their grip on the hume’s legs. He screamed. Pain turned into sheer horror as realization began to dawn upon him. It was over. Alice hastily rushed at them, adrenaline and desperation fueling her. The Vorpal Sword was aimed at the creature’s wrists, ready to slice on contact. But the child of darkness was faster. Before she could reach them, it had already snatched its prey back into the alleyway like a wig off a drag queen. The blade cut the air in one clean motion before striking the concrete ground below.
There was… A response. Or at least it sounded like one. Sort of. He couldn't make out any words, no answer to his question, but Marmadue was hoping that it was supposed to be something intelligent triggered by his words… Instead of his voice having just attracted some kind of a horrific beast to their location. He peeked from behind Alice – the girl had quite sneakily managed to get in front of her, and perhaps he should have thought twice if it should be her protecting him or the other way around, but such a thought did not enter his mind for now. His neck craned, the light reaching the shadows…
The Yuke's eyes widened – in a pleasant surprise. Alright, it shouldn't have been so pleasant considering the state of the person lying on the streets, but considering that it could have been a monster, he was quite relieved! That bated breath stuck in his throat was able to be exhaled, his tense posture relaxing. They weren't quite out of the danger, far from it, but all of a sudden it had gotten just so much easier to handle! "Hold on, good sir. I will–" Marmadue's voice had lost that fearful tone, knowing that he had to act – he was so ready to act. They had to act. Fast. The darkness was a good friend in hiding exactly how bad things were, but with magic, he was sure they could…
He didn't manage to make too many steps, though the few he did manage almost had overtaken Alice already. But his body froze, just like his blood. Darkness. Not the normal kind, the kind his light pushed back. No, there was a puddle of something dark that existed where it shouldn't have, rising… Like hands. Hands that grabbed the poor injured man.
The Yuke inhaled sharply, the only sound he managed to make as the man was yanked further into the darkness of the alleyway, his screeches bone-chilling, blood-curdling. Like sharp stabs. Marmadue wasn't exactly the brave sort. He wasn't exactly the kind who could rush into danger or really act rationally when faced with it. His limbs felt heavy and sluggish, his mind hanging in the same spot, unable to continue.
This… Couldn't be it. They, it… Something could be done, right? Something should be done. "Wh–" a quiet, almost whisper-like forced its way out of Marmadue's mouth. He took a few shaky steps. Alice had already reacted to the monster's appearance, but despite that, the man had been taken. They had to do something. "We need to–" this time his voice was stronger, properly audible, though still shaken and confused. Still, he was approaching Alice, intending on even going further.
Post by Alice Kingsleigh on Sept 22, 2018 22:24:52 GMT -4
He was there. He was just there.
The captain had moved quickly then, as swift as she was able to, but still not quite fast enough. The creature had taken the innocent man to devour. His heart’s corruption would soon be complete, and the darkness would claim it as one of its own. He was just there, but now… he was gone. Her thoughts went to her crew, whose whereabouts still remained unknown. What if she’d also failed to save them? So many lives lost because of her inability to save others. Hell, she hadn’t even been able to save herself back when…
No, torturing herself like that wouldn’t achieve anything. And it wasn’t true. She was Alice, the Alice. She was a business apprentice to Lord Ascot himself. She was the sole captain of the Wonder, her father’s ship. She was the chosen of the Vorpal Sword, the valiant champion who had slain the Jabberwocky and saved Underland. She was a Princess of Heart, a beacon of hope.
Hope was precisely what they needed in that moment.
The light, her light, was speaking to her, and she wouldn’t be one to refuse its call. Once again, it trickled down the canal in her mind, seeking a new place to purify and bask in its brightness. Energy ran down her left arm as she readjusted her posture. The darkness wouldn’t take her, nor anyone else ever again. Not under her watch. The Vorpal Sword resonated with her resolve, allowing the stream to race through its length. The light, in turn, embraced it in its warmth. Her heart had finally managed to find another outlet for the white doves within.
Alice raised her sword and illuminated the immediate area around her. She nodded at Marmadue’s half-spoken statement. They needed to save the man.
She joined the Yuke in venturing into the alleyway. Their walk was cautious, yet hasty given how time-sensitive the whole situation was. They didn’t need to walk far before the light revealed three figures resting on the ground. One of them, located in the middle, appeared to be shivering in silent agony. The other two, however, immediately shifted and disappeared into familiar pools of black. It seemed like more prey had arrived for the pair of Neoshadows to hunt.
Marmadue's steps almost felt like some strange wandering, confused and wobbling – and in a way, like he was on autopilot. Maybe he was. It was feeling like the gravity of everything wasn't quite managing to reach the places they should. He hadn't noticed the glow of his hand dispersing, their surroundings failing to darken thanks to Alice's own brand of light magic, now lighting their way. Things started to sink in, slowly. Such as the fact that this was pretty crazy, wasn't it? Saving someone certainly was the right thing to do, but the Yuke lacked the means to do so when there were monsters involved!
And there certainly were monsters involved. Marmadue drew in a sharp breath, seeing figures ahead. One of them, the injured man they had seen before, was there. Still not looking to be in a very good shape, but seeming to be alive. Hopefully long enough for them to do something. But there also were two others. Shadows, monsters. Heartless. Bigger than the ones the Yuke had usually seen scurrying around – that probably meant they were stronger and more dangerous, as well. And clearly, they saw them, too, disappearing once the pair got too close.
That… Probably wasn't going to last. Surely it couldn't have been that easy? Surely they didn't manage to scare the monsters off just by showing up? Then again, the creatures of the dark did not seem to like the light…
"I… Must go there," Marmadue voiced his thoughts out loud. He didn't like the idea, feeling like a prey animal lured into an ambush, but that was what had to be done. To do anything to help the man, he had to actually get to him. Time wasn't on their side, he most likely would have had to start healing right away. Trying to carry the man somewhere safe probably wouldn't work – was there anywhere safe nearby, anyway…?
But he really, really didn't like the idea!
The Yuke swallowed. He couldn't really ask Alice to really… Well, she certainly was carrying weapons with her, but he didn't even know how well she could… Oh dear. "Y-You ah… W-Wouldn't happen to ah, by any means… Be able to distract the Heartless while I, ah," boy was his mouth feeling dry. And each word felt like a moment the man was wasting away. And was he supposed to put Alice in this kind of danger? Was he supposed to put himself in this kind of danger? "…I ah, might be able t-to, ah, keep them at bay for a moment," understatement of the year, "And, ah… Distract with my presence, i-if I… Walk in," words he never wanted to hear coming from his mouth, and there they were. Marmadue looked at Alice, his hands clasped together. A gentle glow seemed to start to emanate from within, turning into harsher streaks of light that managed to seep out through the smallest gaps. "It would be wise to cover your eyes, i-if they… A-Attack…"
((If Alice doesn't have any smart ideas or doesn't stop Marmadue, feel free to have him Leeroy Jenkins in and flashbang without the bang any baddies that spook him.))
Post by Alice Kingsleigh on Sept 26, 2018 0:00:07 GMT -4
Alice cast a sideways glance at Marmadue. It was a sound question. While it was difficult to fully assess the damage, even with her blade’s light, the trail of blood left behind was quite telling. The captive man appeared to be holding on to dear life, God bless him, but the injuries he’d sustained were far too many. Who knew how much more his heart would be able to sustain? He needed to be stabilized, and there was no one better fitted for the job than the Yuke.
That left Alice with the task of taking care of the Heartless. At least, until Marmadue managed to get the man out of danger. She took a sharp breath, her grip on the Vorpal Sword tightening. There were only two of them lurking out there. She could probably take them, right? The woman wasn’t by any means bad with the sword. She just…
'I just wish I’d taken a good look at them. Knowing what I’m up against would’ve made me feel a lot better about our chances,' she thought, but nonetheless decided it was as sound a plan as any.
The Yuke seemed to have other ideas, though. Alice briefly turned to look at his feathered palms clasped together, blue eyes squinting as she noticed the light seeping through them. Something inside her urged her to stop him. It wasn’t the safest thing to do, and Marmadue… well, he didn’t strike her as someone well-versed in combat. Another part of her, however, could see… no, she could feel the determination growing beneath that shaky exterior. It was something he needed to do. Not just for the injured man, but for himself.
When they first met, Alice noticed the cautious and sheltered approach Marmadue took whenever the prospect of adventure was brought up. Now that she knew that spark was there… she just wouldn’t dare to extinguish it herself.
"Alright. I… I’ll watch our backs, then. Just to be safe." The princess nodded at Marmadue, turning on her heel as she adopted a defensive position. The healer’s own light magic might be enough to scare off the pair of Heartless, but there still was a considerable blind spot wide open behind him. It would be up to her to make sure none got through there.
"Let me know when you’re ready." Once the Yuke gave the word, Alice would begin moving backward, prepared to strike at any opportunist critters jumping at them from the depths.
Could he ever be! If Marmadue wasn't currently so keen on making sure his hands were clasped together so he didn't accidentally release his spell before it was time, they probably would have been shaking so much he would have lost all of his feathers on them! But they had passed the point of no return a long time ago. His gaze glanced at the man before looking back at Alice. It was awful. Stupid. Dangerous. Probably a mistake. And here they were.
"I-I… Cannot focus on other matters while I am preoccupied with healing," the Yuke's voice was wavering, having to explain one rather critical element of this whole mess. He was rather defenseless normally, but now he most likely couldn't even put forth the customary effort to try to protect himself – unless he wanted to stop healing. He was a sitting duck.
He was really hoping the Heartless had been scared off…
Exhaling through his teeth, Marmadue nodded. He… Had to make the first move. He took the first step, unsure – and it felt so slow. Time was slowing down. Then, the second, a bit faster. More steps, faster, almost a run now. His spell was prepared, more of a reactionary thing than anything. If something happened, it would go off – probably even if he didn't mean it, its release depending on him not containing it than spending conscious effort to set it off.