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Post by Gaia on Jul 18, 2021 10:44:11 GMT -8
Joker listened to the voice of the petulant child, and turned his head to Xion as Xion gave his spiel on the matter. He considered that possibility, of course - that this was an error of judgment, as well. He, in all truth, had no idea if this was an error of judgment, but he knew that this was the course of action he wanted to take. It was to be his next steps ever since he joined the group back in Creamland. He wanted to take the steps to begin correcting his previous errors before he put forward a plan of his own again, but believed that his outlook on the power that he now sought had changed, even if only slightly.
The power he sought after . . . it was a necessity in these lights, but it was also a power that he had already tamed a portion of, before. Holding out his hands, Joker funneled that incredible energy between his palms, the platinum bands interlocked with black as his generator fed off of more of the data in his core, produced almost constantly by the seal on his chest. It wasn't nearly as much as when the monger was within his systems properly, but he had the energy to do what was necessary.
He had shown Joker this power when he explained the steps necessary to attain what would come next, and although Joker now lacked his advice, he was never too keen on giving it forthright anyways. Coalescing the energy into his palm, Joker moved forward and thrust his hand out, grabbing at reality and rending open the Energy Stream.
". . . Then, I depart posthaste." He looked, then, from Xion to Merrill, his gaze focusing on the power that Merrill now wielded, but then turning from it to look at Merrill properly in the eyes. ". . . Your words pushed this course of action. The power necessary to not only overcome our obstacles, but to ensure the survival of those that fight alongside us in the process . . . that is what you spoke of, in that strange place. I do not fully understand it, but for Unity . . . I must seek that power, as well."
Without much more to say, Joker steps into the Energy Stream, and uses his power to close it behind him.
[Joker -> Energy Stream]
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Post by Raven8 on Jul 18, 2021 18:28:56 GMT -8
Serenade, with a smile across his face, closes his eyes and raises his head. After a moment, he speaks aloud with a gentle, yet altogether terrifying power behind his voice.
Serenade: You may be an emperor, Sirius. But you fail to realize that you now address the realm of a king
The whole of the undernet flashes white, and quakes as if its lofty pathways now drop from the presence of the Underking himself. Wherever Sirius may be, he experiences one undeniable sensation; pain. His choice to open a connection to the Undernet now sends the depths of the vast and deep network directly into his mind, where he would experience the power of the server itself combined with the staggering force of the Underking's will. It's in this moment that Sirius, powerful though he may be, finds himself entirely cut off from the Undernet as a whole. From this moment forward, he would be entirely unable to communicate beyond the barrier of this dark would, and incapable of physically setting foot, be it directly or indirectly, on the hallowed darkness of Serenade's domain.
It is with this move that Serenade's eyes drop from the depths of the void and lock with Burai for a moment; wordlessly answering the lone being's statements. He then looks to StrifeMan and raises a hand, his smile softening as he does so.
Serenade: You've no need to stop these Navis, StrifeMan. You've done well to serve me, and I'm happy with your defense, but now is the time that we're going to need all of the power possible to defend the undernet from what is to come next. These are now our invited guests.
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Post by xoDeathy on Jul 19, 2021 9:21:40 GMT -8
"Wait Joker--"
But, he was already gone. He was leaving so suddenly? Something must be bugging him. But from the little she knew of him.. he didn't seem like the type to be bothered by things minimal so it had to be serious. She wished he would confide in his new group, but perhaps she was being too forward.
So she recollected her thoughts.. Sirius was their current threat. The king of the Undernet was benevolent to give us refuge here as we treated our wounded and prepared against the threat. Bur.. Burai granted Merrill equipment to further our chances in the coming battles..
She wiped away her remaining tears and sighed. She really wished she was just back in that forest.
"Merrill, I'm okay. Thank you. Let's begin. Please supply me with as much healing as you can and I'll convert it to the energy Jax needs."
Lalonia knelt over Jax. She expanded her wings as rainbow energy surged across them. She held her hands palm up next to Jax, as a ball of divine Holy Data surrounded Jax, aiming to eat and eradicate the corrosion causing his stasis.
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Post by Xypher on Jul 19, 2021 20:40:29 GMT -8
Merrill had remained kneeling, looking down, until Xion began speaking. His ears perked up as he turned his attention away from Strifeman to Lalonia. It surprised him to hear the remark, but he looked up, followinng closely as he had stared at the monitors, and then spoke to Moon Disaster.
Airman spoke next, mostly about a business man, as well as introducing the king of the undernet himself: Serenade.
He had heard many things about this king. And they were all scary. And while first impressions were important, he felt blessed that they had been all welcomed instead of the alternative.
From there, the being named Burai finally spoke. He could feel that he was incredibly powerful, as were most of the ones assembled here. Again, Merrill listened intently, curious to gain the knowledge that was being shared. Hearing that this "Sirius" being was the one one that had attacked him and Lalonia, his expression hardened and his gaze sharpened.
They had somehow escaped the single most powerful being? They were either very lucky, or just being toyed with back then. No wonder they needed such a force to deal with him.
"That's an incredible power for just one person to wield..."
"Hmph. So powers of that level do exist... This world is constantly full of surprises... There is a long way to go..."
He rose to a standing position, putting his arms behind his back for a moment, still listening to Burai. Recalling back to that event, he could indeed confirm how the wings acted, and how many there were, and how unpredictable they had been. Knowing how they worked didn't make him feel better, but it explained how even using crafty tactics and quick wit, so many had been able to chase him for so long.
"With that kind of firepower, and the ability to transmit information and adjust his attacks so quickly on the fly, no wonder it required so much just to avoid being touched. You both were right, those were not ordinary at all... That also accounts for the strange senses and why I couldn't generate life energy or take it from around the satellite wings."
He wasn't given much time to think, however, as Burai continued, discussing the tactics they would need in order to defeat their foe. If he could manipulate gravity, and have such gravitational control over such power, it would be a real pain to adjust on the fly, if they weren't careful. His offensive prowess was scary enough, and for a moment Merrill wondered if they would all survive. It wasn't so much of a surprise to note that they needed so much constant firepower to have a chance to defeat him. They needed all of the firepower present for sure. They were lucky that so many had survived the chaos of the net ending around them.
However, before he could raise his hand, or even ask a question, Burai looked at him, and they locked eyes. His words were lost in the moment. In addition to the eerie feeling that he received, Merrill's gaze didn't falter, instead he took a step forward, almost instinctually to be in front of the kneeling Lalonia.
However, before he could speak, or refuse, or say even say anything, Burai thrust his golden palm forward. The immediate heat was overwhelming, and Merrill felt his body overheating from flame. His heart began raising, and he staggered to the side, his skin turning red and steam emmiting off of his body. Burai's words ringing in his ears.
"but when you are weak you give him the opportunity to be reborn."
So, it was give up and be consumed by the heat, or conquer it and become the master of it.
Ironic that it had been fire, one thing that had always tormented his past.
The flames of the building of the village he once cherished.
Flames of the burns he had felt in so many battles.
the flames that crushed the Crusading Shields Hall.
Watching the world burn from Eon's time.
The flames from being burned by Rosso.
The flames of the world now, even among the monitors as the networks fell.
But, during the same passage f time, he had come to appreciate the gentle side of flames.
The sun that filled the sky, giving growth to plants and trees, to the place he called home in his many travel.
The warmth shown from the friends he had made over the years, from ones as old as Warrior, to ones now such as Joker and especially Lalonia.
Flame and light were not all bad. Just as parts of his soul were not as black or filled with darkness as he believed.
He gritted through the pain as his body adjusted, tolerating the pain of the burning sensations. His wings sprouted out of his back, covered in red flames. The flames spread, beginning to overarch around his body in two oval waves in the form of an X.
His white hair started becoming red, with the black strands that rattled within certain parts changed to gold. His crystal on his forehead glowed brighter than it ever had.
"but when you are weak you give him the opportunity to be reborn."
"FORGET THAT!"
Merrill tilted his head upwards, eyes closed, opening his mouth, a small flaming phoenix bursting out of it. His body shook, and slowly, one of the red bands of flame began to change, becoming imbued with white and blue streaks. Soon after followed gold and black within one ring, as Merrill fought to gain mastery over the sudden power surge.
Blue flames suddenly burst forth from his wings, and his hair began fading to it's normal colors. Several seconds passed as he forcibly began powering down. The arching flames began receding smaller and smaller until they were just a small band, no wider than a pinkie finger, arching around him still. His feet returned to the ground, crystal now pulsing to that of a heartbeat.
Another second passed, and black lines began running down his shoulders, down to his forearms. They too, crisscrossed around in an arching manner. A similar pattern ran down his legs from his waist. His hair ended up adapting a hybrid look, with just the tips changing to their respective colors. White with red, black with gold. His white wings now had a blue-ish hue, radiating a warm, calming light. His skin returned to the pale color it had been before, all evidence of burning and redness completely healed over.
He opened his eyes, feeling very different. He reduced his power to as close to his base state as before, noting his body felt different. His surroundings felt different. His crystal, while normally dim, or even almost inert unless he exerted power, also had a gentle glow about it, feeling more alive than it had in a long while.
He could feel the warmth of everyone's existence there. It was a strange, new sense.
What had felt like an eternity to him, must have nly been a second or two, as Burai's description of what was happening and about the Murian history. But until he discovered how this flame had reacted to him, he hadn't quite understood yet.
"Wow..."
Was all he could say, still grasping it all. He wasn't given any time however, as he could barely get the words out before Burai turned towards Joker.
"Thank you..."
Well, the power was bestowed upon him, with or without (in this case) his consent. Taking a split second, he reached inside the soulspace, peeking. And to no surprise, the size of each chamber was smaller, making room for a fifth, room. This one bound, but in total darkness, with a separating wall. He couldn't see inside, and upon trying to communicate with the wall felt an extremely hot flame the closer he got. That answered that. He returned to watch the scene unfold before him.
He turned and watched the two beings interact, surprise when Joker's gaze fell upon him. He couldn't help but smile and bow at his kind words, and yet, he felt the need to help more.
Power bestowed or not, came with a heck of a lot of responsibility for him to own up to. He understood Joker's desire to prove himself, as he too would need to do in the coming battles. He respected that choice. But before he could humble himself or even accept his words...
His spine tingled and he felt strange as Surius addressed the group. Knowing there was a time limit both excited him and made him nervous.
He turned to listen to Xion speak to Serenade, making conversation. Seeing Serenade unleash his power like that sent a chill down his spine.
He respected Joker's decisions, nodded in both approval, respect and pride in his decisions as his ally and friend spoke to him, explaining that it was his words that spurred him forward. He was honored and humbled. He eagerly looked forward to what Joker would discover. He had been very fortunate to cross paths back in creamland.
Finally, he turned to look at Lalonia, whom had silenced her tears and seemed focused on her task. He nodded.
"Of course."
He turned and kneeled next to Jax. He outstretched one arm over his chest, focusing heavily on the remnants left of Pandemic. Using what basis he had managed to understand in such a short time, he pulled his hand up, and the strings of red mist were gently removed from Jax's form. He held them in his hand, a blue flame rising up, consuming them. He closed his fist, turning to Lalonia. He placed one hand on Jax, the other on her head. He funneled energy into Jax, warm, gentle light that rained over the body like watering a flower, while his other hand left warmth over the woman. Energy filled with kindness, hope and gentle, healing properties for both her mind, and her body. He awaited to hear from the others as he worked quietly...
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Post by Raven8 on Aug 7, 2021 13:07:27 GMT -8
Serenade's eyes turn back to the Undernet, as if something had caught his attention. The Underking closes his eyes, and with a nod he turns back to the group.
Serenade: The Undernet is open to you for so long as you need it. But be warned; the days ahead will see changes. Changes not only to those around us, but to the net itself. Dark days are on their way, but the darkness can be comfort and ally, and will embrace those who embrace it. Find your balance, and you'll find the way to combat those who seek to oppress you. Let no king tell you that your ways are wrong, and that you must conform. This is the true message of the Undernet.
Serenade turns from the group with a smile and walks to Xion, touching the dark Navi on the shoulder.
Serenade: Come; we've much to discuss.
Serenade then teleports back to the depths of the Undernet. As he does so, the encroaching chaos of this black underworld returns to its own ways.
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Post by Genesis on Aug 7, 2021 17:15:35 GMT -8
*If there was ever a time that Xion felt like kneeling of his own volition, it would have been when Serenade shut up the noise in their heads. Many might have considered that a pretty small reason to want to do so, but that would only show their lack of understanding in the regard of either the feat itself or the fact that the voice was very, very annoying.*
*And beyond that the message that he delivered just went to show exactly how well Serenade understood the situation and why his station went without question. He had already found his balance a long time ago, and at this point had managed to serve a bit of balance back onto others. But finishing that work would be on an indefinite hold for some time now. He gave a nod at the King's touch, glancing about the group briefly before he moved to follow, the one with the dark fading into it as he went to the depths of the Undernet. Everyone would have to be ready to wade through the chaos that was to be their new world even should they fight victory in this fight. One that Immortalis spoke of as a foregone conclusion the last he saw of him.*
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Post by Gaia on Aug 10, 2021 17:31:40 GMT -8
The portal opened up, a dark gateway within the Net, and out stepped the Crimson Titan. He didn't seem much different from when he left mere moments ago, not even half the hour he was provided having eclipsed, but he carried himself with a different confidence than he did, before.
Burai saw him step out and immediately scanned him. He noticed almost no difference, but figured that he knew the gigantean Wizard enough that if he said he would return with what he needed, then he wouldn't have returned without it.
The Moon Disaster hopped about as Xion left for a moment, bouncing around to those gathered and striking up small, ultimately meaningless conversations, with much more of him talking than them, and a very high percentage of the words traded being 'Yo!'. As Joker returned, he paused and turned himself to look at the Crimson Titan, and grinned broadly. Somehow, even without being able to scan Joker, the Moon Disaster could tell that Joker now possessed a power befitting his moniker.
Hollow about-faced as Joker returned, having been mostly silent since the brute left. Carrying with him a new confidence, Joker seemed renewed, but Hollow maintained as he always did.
StrifeMan had long since retreated, returning to the depths of the Undernet where his services were needed. He prepared to welcome all that would come, in need of shelter and hospitality, as the Underking had ordered him to do.
Burai stepped forward and looked at the group gathered, counting off the numbers in his head, and nodded with finality. "Very well. As soon as Xion returns from his 'chat,' we will be able to confront Sirius."
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Post by Gaia on Sept 6, 2021 16:40:56 GMT -8
Burai felt it, first; the incredible whine as power shifted darkened and rocked the entirety of the Undernet. It was a flow of power unlike anything Burai had ever felt, and yet, in that very moment, a font of power resonated from within him as the power of the creator of his people was fully synchronized with Laplace.
He felt that connection - that same power he had felt watching him from the Lake, and knew that it was growing ever stronger, even as he was. What was it, and why did it seem to pull to him so?
What came next was another, even more worrisome display - the Undernet's barriers faltered and failed, as a familiar sign to some here, and an unfamiliar sign to others, came flying in from all directions. The four signal wings darted around the space, capitalizing on the shift in command, the vacuum of power, to maneuver downwards towards the group. Burai held out his hand and called the Laplace blade to his grip, a new and powerful aura radiating from its edge as its adjustment to Mu's power was complete. He took a battle ready stance, unsure of what the signal wings would bring, but was incredibly surprised to find that the signal wings orbited a space in the middle of the group.
Firing a black beam into the very Undernet, the signal wings spun in a circle and carved out a hole that burned a new connection into being. The hole spun around and filled with wave data as it was formed, a pure black spiral into the void itself.
It seemed that they were expected now moreso than ever.
[Characters may now access the Black Hole Server from this location]
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Post by Warrior on Sept 7, 2021 11:40:51 GMT -8
#s://i~imgur~com/dk4CQm0~png Warrior seemed poised for defense when the wings came, but lowered his guard when he realized that they only arrived to create a portal to their impending adversary.
" ... We're still short one. "
Joker was back, but Xion had yet to return. Burai had said earlier that it required the force of several Titans to approach him, and Xion's acquisition of both Samhain and Nebula Gray must certainly contributed to their total count toward that requisite.
" Should we wait longer? "
He turned to Burai as he asked, but Feint butted in as if the question were asked to her.
" The portal's just open; it's not like we're being pulled into it. If Sirius were really urgent to fight us, then I imagine he'd have just come here by now rather than waiting for us to go to him. "
She'd fought enough EM Beings by now to know that it was in their better interest to step in with the best foot forward.
" Plunge on ahead if you want. Until he comes out here himself, I'll go in when I'm damn well ready to. "
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Post by Genesis on Sept 11, 2021 8:00:26 GMT -8
*Looked like someone was just looming and lurking outside once he had gotten kicked out. It reminded him of those animals who hated closed doors and kept scratching at them to no avail because they thought they owned the place, so not being able to move as they desired bothered them. Quite the fitting analogy for this one, wasn't it? Still he supposed that he ended up the last to arrive seeing as Joker was back already, to which his gaze silently fell on him for a time before he went back to addressing the group.*
"I got held up for a bit longer than expected, so it looks like I'm the last one to the party. But I'll give you the break down in a bit. Lead the charge, resident expert."
*He didn't have anything to hide after all. And once this confrontation was over with, important though it was, they could get to more important matters right after. Since they were all here he would leave it to their expert on the matter to plunge ahead and they follow his lead. He wasn't exactly a resident, but it fit all the same he felt so he'd say it anyway. It was about time he starting getting a grasp on all the chaos these days.*
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Post by Gaia on Sept 12, 2021 10:06:23 GMT -8
Burai's gaze was brought to the air just before Xion arrived, his power having changed since they were last together. How was it that this Analog-Digital Hybrid kept growing in power? His digital power seemed to grow, and yet his frequency intensified to accompany it. Burai didn't take his thoughts much further, having heard his remark; in truth, he couldn't agree more.
He stepped forward, first, casting his vision back at the group. His stare, usually pulling the very heat from the air, seemed more controlled, now; the loneliness waves that roiled off of him didn't feel so intense, like he was more in control of it. From this point onward, they were fighting against something quite unlike anything they would have ever encountered before.
Burai stepped into the portal first, breaking down into particles and dematerializing, disappearing into the void.
. . . As soon as Burai disappeared into the portal, the very Undernet shook. Xion, now intimately connected to its servers, would feel the sway, first. Pitch black lines . . . no, that wasn't it. They were lines devoid of color entirely, blotting out even the darkness of the Undernet, began spreading from the access point, snaking out like terrible fingers, moving over the terrain and gripping the Undernet tight.
The others may get an inkling at what was happening, here. When two networks were connected, information flowed between the two. By establishing a connection, Sirius opened up a means for the Undernet's denizens to come to him. By then accessing that connection, Burai confirmed the access and completed it. Now, Sirius' power could flow through the connection, just like a backdoor to a system once the wrong parameter was followed through with.
The access point's fingers were spreading slowly, but the effect it had on the Network as they spread were already evident. The rest of those gathered needn't worry about traveling through the access point. Spiralling wildly, Sirius showed just how much control he had over his Server, even inversing the power of the confirmed access point. The Undernet began to melt and sink away into its cyclone, an intense well dragging those present closer to it, the terrain far and wide breaking down into particles to drag what remained into its depths.
The Undernet was being consumed, and all of its inhabitants were being dragged into the Black Hole Server. It wasn't immediate, and Xion knew that Sirius wouldn't be able to claim the entire Undernet in an instant, but in this one display of power he showed what he was capable of. Those in the immediate vicinity were the most affected, the team gathered to confront Sirius faced with a powerful singularity dragging them into Sirius' domain, and a new race against the clock to save what remained of the Undernet from Sirius' clutches.
There was no escape.
Joker watched as Burai stepped into the access point, and then saw the immediate response. In an instant lines void of color began to spread across the floor, and the Undernet whined and warped as it was pulled into the singularity at its center. The incredible well of power crashed onto him, pulling him and the others closer to the access point. Without much warning or time to adapt, Joker's own control of space wasn't specialized in the fundamental forces; gravity took its hold on him and he was the first of the bunch to be pulled forward, broken down and pulled into the abyss.
Hollow followed suit, the intensity of the black hole calling to his abyss and pulling him all the same. He was able to respond quicker, calling up his energy to try and withstand the pull, but Sirius' power in such close proximity was not to be contested. Hollow disappeared into the void of stars, as well.
The Moon Disaster, for what it was worth, seemed to be more resilient than the other two. As the crashing waves of gravity moved forward, he stood strong, holding up his arm and bracing himself against the ground. He looked out at those that remained, random navis being dragged away, as the Undernet continued to collapse into that point. Grimacing, he turned to those that were left, and gave a message before he allowed the inevitable. "Yo, yo, bros, be careful! Sirius ain't no normal player, YO!"
His message given, the Moon Disaster stopped his attempts, and allowed himself to be pulled into the great unknown, as well.
What futile attempts would the others raise against the inevitable?
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Post by Warrior on Sept 12, 2021 10:27:03 GMT -8
#s://i~imgur~com/dk4CQm0~png Seeing Burai enter was Warrior's invitation to proceed. While others resisted the pull, he brandished his sword as if called to arms and dove toward the portal as if ready to strike, allowing its pull to accelerate his visibly determined charge.
" ... "
Feint seemed to resist at first, but it become more clear why she would do so as her suit started to brim with its familiar violet glow. The resistance against the pull caused enough stress on her suit to generate the energy that it stored, so she was charging it up as she slowly skidded toward the vortex, intending to gather every ounce that she could before at last plunging through.
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Post by Zane on Sept 12, 2021 11:02:27 GMT -8
With Joker's work done, he had sat back calmly until Xion returned as well. Xion was always able to keep a quiet scene with his strength, so it wasn't as if he would notice right away that things had changed drastically here. The only sign of that would be Sirius being able to do anything here when he previously could not. Was Serenade allowing him to now that it was time for them to wrap this up with this show of power was it? It had taken long enough for this one to go for the typical response to be expected of the impediments that had to be eliminated. So just as Sirius would display a show of power, he would show a display of just how much control over this situation their world really had. And so for the pull that came, Grom had proceeded to walk into the access point not unlike Burai had before him. As Feint had put it for them before, he had felt like walking in when he pleased now as well.
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Post by Genesis on Sept 12, 2021 11:50:14 GMT -8
*It was a nice message to give out to the others before they were caught unaware but what was happening. This wasn't exactly one of the curses he was gifted, but he could at least put this as a nice feather on the cap of his glorious reign. None could say his beginnings wouldn't be chaotic and intense to say the least. If he could betray any expression then, it would be clear that in the face of his latest problem that he had a smile to his face.*
"This has a very nice benefit. Now no one will want to waste any time talking to this kid."
*After all, this had been a race to him even before this latest trick was added to the pile. He needed to remove this non-normal player and stomp over him as the stepping stone to the other log in his fire that was being worked on. His smile was because he couldn't help but find it quite ironic that he more or less had similar plans with his own clutches with this particular problem. With no time like the present, he was pulled in as well. The only regret was that he was going to have to listen to rambling one way or another anyway.*
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Post by Xypher on Sept 12, 2021 18:06:59 GMT -8
As Xion returned and connected the Undernet to where their foe was, Merrill realized it was time to go. He stopped applying his healing, and looked over to Lalonia. He gazed upon her face, his heart skipping a beat as he admired her.
Lalonia had been so kind to him since they had met. She had brought him out of a dark place mentally, and had done more to usher peace in a couple of situations than he had. She was soft and kind, and yet didn't shy away from the harsh reality they faced. Her kindness was deep, and her smile radiated and stirred his darkened mind and spirit.
"it is time..."
He whispered quietly, turning to watch as the others began entering the portal. Like the others, he could feel it's pull. He watched as the others walked through at their own paces. Leaving him, Xion, Lalonia and Jax.
He turned and stared at the kneeling woman before him once more. Without thinking, his body just reacting on it's own, he leaned over and gently kissed her forehead, his face flush, heart a-flutter.
He stood up, turning, patting her head, not looking back. With a flourish, light enveloped his form, and he stared at the black hole. He glanced to the side at Xion before pacing forward.
"Thank you."
A loaded pair of words. Knowing that Xion had a way with understanding gazes, Merrill was confident that Xion knew what it meant. Although they had had limited interactions in the past, Merrill would be dead several times over had he not been there.
If anything, he would repay a little of that debt now, against their current world ending foe. He took a deep breath, preparing his mindset for battle.
He began walking forward, light and warmth radiating with each step as he entered the portal...
Merrill -> Point of No Return
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