[Thread, Pandaemonium]

[heartofheaven]

Characters: Tifa, Warrior of Light, Rydia, Terra, Celes, Mateus, Auron, possibly Lufene (let me know if I forgot anyone)
Progress: Ongoing
Summary: The group travel to Pandaemonium to retrieve the Fire Crystal. Little do they know that an old enemy is waiting for them, let alone the undead denizens of the island. No tagging order for this one - tag

Comments

The Rescue Thread

[melodiesoflute]

Just what was he doing?

While it didn't take long to round up volunteers for this perilous mission, Edward couldn't help but feel as if he left his common sense behind. He was now sailing over Daguerreo with Penelo, Kain, Edge, Vivi and Ceodore in tow. A mysterious fellow by the name of Faris, opted to tag along as well, but he would be arriving to the scene by his own vessel.

Uncertain whether or not this was the best course of action, Edward honestly felt a tad out of his element. He wasn't a warrior like Cecil, but the thought of Rydia being torn asunder by fiends prompted him into action. The bard just couldn't bear to lose anymore friends on Gaia. He was tired of the Cycle of Death continuing repeatedly at nausea. Edward wanted to save everyone from Lufene's madness, even if it destroyed him in the progress.

Gazing out the side window, Edward paused once he spotted something up ahead. While his own experience regarding airships is limited, he learned much from Vaan and Penelo both. His gaze was as sharp as a hawk's, able to spot the smallest detail from above the clouds. "What is that?" He questioned to Penelo and the others once he saw the floating structure up ahead.

"That must be...Pandaemonium!" He alerted the others quickly. "Prepare yourselves! We've arrived."

Re: The Rescue Thread

[lunarianlegacy]

Ceodore hadn't found it too surprising that Edward had spearheaded this rescue plan. It was still awkward for him to see the Damcyan king so young, but taking the role of a leader? Not a bit.

Most of the flight he spent staring at the girl flying the airship. She looked like a dancer, not a pilot and every time he went to ask something about it, they'd touch down somewhere new, adding to the party of fighters. The black mage didn't seem anything more than a child, which he wasn't sure he felt comfortable with.

Edward's exclamation grabbed the prince's attention and he moved to stand beside the bard to look out at the view. The place was visibly crawling with monsters. "Whoa! That's where Rydia is?!" It was one thing to see something on those funny talking boxes and something else to see an army of undead so thick that the ground beneath them wasn't visible.

Re: The Rescue Thread

[morehatthanmage]

Vivi fidgetted all the way there, a little nervous about the upcoming fight. He hasn't used his magic since learning of the attack on Lindblum and didn't really want to start again but he couldn't just not use it when people needed help.

And he couldn't just ignore Lufene.

"There's- woah, there's so many. Um." He said, speaking for the first time on the trip.

The Rescue Thread

[heartofheaven]

Down on the ground, the group were having difficulties.

Well, that was an understatement.

Tifa had picked up the Fire Crystal near the entrance, only to find herself surrounded by spectres and ghoulish creatures the likes of which she'd never seen before. The monsters were clustered even more thickly at the entrance itself, and the way back to the airship didn't look too deserted either. She was horribly aware that she'd used the last of her potions after the encounter with Mateus. Any hit she took now could be her last. The Fire Crystal, precious as it was, wouldn't help in that regard.

"I found it!" she yelled, just as one of the ghouls lurched in for the attack. "Agh-!"

Re: The Rescue Thread

[melodiesoflute]

A slight wave of fear did wash over him once they approached the shrine, but Edward didn’t allow his fear to show. It was none other than he who assembled this band of misfits together; therefore he thought he should at least be fearless for their sakes. If he allowed his fears to overwhelm him now, then this mission would’ve been for nothing. He vowed to protect Rydia and the others at the cost of his own life, and Edward wasn’t going to go back on his word.

Telling Penelo to set them down on the nearest platform, Edward hurried to gather his supplies. “We are entering the heart of the horde, right in the middle of certain death.” He gave the others a stern choice of words as he reached for his lyre. “We must persevere and save our comrades, thus there’s little room for error now. There are thousands of beasts lurking out there, kill those who get in your way but hurry back to the ship if you are feeling faint of heart. Do not linger idly out there, that would lead to certain death.” Pausing briefly once he cast his sights upon Ceodore, a faint chuckle escaped Edward as he leaned in to ruffle the youth’s luminescent hair.

“It’s not nice to stare, my friend.” Turning away from Ceodore, Edward gestured for them to take their leave of here. "With haste now, we don't have much time!"

[eidolon_soul]

Perhaps Mist Dragon's presence made it easier to find Rydia? The summoner conjured her friend as she stood near Tifa, using the dragon as both shield and destroyer of the nearest ghouls. Mist Dragon's radiant breath easy took care of them, though Rydia herself was tiring. Her potions ran low, and she couldn't use the Sylphs to retrieve energy from the undead. If they didn't make it to the airship in time, the Fire Crystal might remain where it was found.

[heavenslament]

Meanwhile, Terra cast Cura, the healing magic reaching Tifa and all other allies within range. She began to use her sword more and more, slicing at the undead instead of blasting them with Holy. The encounter with the Emperor had drained her considerably, and while that Ether helped, she knew that her magic ought to be conserved. Still, she paused for a moment to renew Protect, giving everyone around her a little more in the way of defense.

"Keep going! I'll cover you!"

[magitekrune]

It was times like these that Celes really wished she'd been able to keep more magic than just the few spells she naturally had from her Magitek infusion. They all could have used the extra boost. Not that Terra's powers weren't helping, but another spellcaster would have been a blessing.

All Celes was good for at the moment was hacking and slashing, which she did. She made sure no one was going to get completely overwhelmed, though at the moment she was fighting on pure adrenaline. She'd figured out by this point what her death penalty had been and so she was trying not to show the others how much this realization unsettled her.

One would have thought not feeling pain would be a good thing, but Celes couldn't tell where her threshold was like this. If she pushed herself too far, she might end up dead in the water. And then Locke and Sabin would really give her an earful.

[arrogant_flirt]

Edge snuck up behind Ceodore and Edward placing one arm over each shoulder. "She is a cute one, isn't she." He hesitated only a moment as he had his own beauty to protect.

Rushing out the door, Edge didn't stop whipping out and throwing two shurikens at the undead. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size!" He could only hope to draw their attention away from the summoner.

[unsentmonk]

"Move!" Auron barked at Edge, making the sound of his voice deliberately louder to catch the attention of the undead. "Your business is with me," he told them. He lifted his sword over his head and cleaved the undead in half, quickly following up another attack on a nearby enemy and then some. He went straight for any enemies that seemed to have gone away from the main onslaught, rallying them into one spot away from the summoner. On his watch, no one was to be defeated except for their enemies.

[melodiesoflute]

A soft chuckle escaped Edward once Edge came near. Honestly, that ninja is ten times spoonier than he is! Edge should have some shame clamoring about Penelo's beauty, but Edward couldn't help but agree with him. After all, Penelo is a breathtaking young woman.

"Come! We must go!" Bringing Ceodore and Vivi along with him, Edward marched out there into the fray with a look of pure determination. There were a sea of fiends attacking them, and they needed to be strong enough to overcome the horde's advances. Wasting no time at all, Edward began to play a lovely tune that would boost his allies' strength and magic. It was the Hero's Rhyme, the same tune he played during their adventures on Terra.

"Go! Strike while you can!"

[lunarianlegacy]

Ceodore frowned and brushed an arm over his head at having his hair ruffled like he was still a little kid. Edge wasn't helping in the least bit either.

No time for being picked on, he stormed off the airship, already pulling his bow out having had the foresight to arm himself with Holy Arrows. He scrambled up the side of the airship to take advantage of a raised elevation and began to pick off one monster after another, attempting to cut a path for the others to get in.

There was something satisfactory in watching creature after creature drop to the ground in defeat with a single arrow each, yet it wouldn't be enough to eliminate their numbers. They were simple too vast, and unless his eyes deceived him, had to run into the thousands.

[danceawaypain]

Whatever nonsense was going on with the boys, Penelo more or less ignored. She could give them a rousing scolding after Rydia and the rest were safe and secure.

Once she was satisfied with how the airship was settled, she disembarked and immediately began to dance. First the War Dance to raise the Bravery of all the fighters in the fray. Its steps were quick and bold, and once executed, she changed to the spinning leaps of the Mystic Dance to raise the Faith of any magic users, including herself.

She was relieved to have her dances working once more but regretted that it seemed to come at the cost of her White Magic. No matter what Penelo tried, she simply could not cast Holy and at a time like this it would have been so helpful. So instead she took the time to begin the Hypnotic Dance with its slow gyrations and careful foot placement. It was both protective for her and a boon to the others, placing Disable on every monster within 100 feet of her.

[eidolon_soul]

The Mystic Dance definitely boosted Rydia, and she was able to have Mist Dragon help clear the way toward the ship, thanks to that. She also brightened upon seeing Edge and the others; that they rushed to help her was not unappreciated, and could make all the difference.

The summoner tried to closer the distance between herself and them, moving everyone along with Mist Dragon's aid. However, the undead weren't making it easy. More than once, Rydia had to dodge their blows. Even more often, she was struck; by the time she might be able to reach them, the green-haired woman would definitely need healing.

[heavenslament]

Terra perked up when she saw others enter the fray, especially since she could feel the boost that dance and music gave her. Acting on it, she stuck with Celes and helped pick off any undead who tried to reach their companions while they made a break for the Lunar Whale. Missile after missile of light struck the undead; now that they had reinforcements, Terra was a little more confident about using what magic she could.

[dragoon_rising]

Kain allowed the others of the rescue team to go ahead, taking his time to ensure that he was fully prepared. He was tightly strapped aboard his war chocobo, and certain that he'd stay that way. Useless legs were clearly not enough to hold him back. He had his spear tightly held in hand, and as he surveyed the mayhem a new resolve welled up in him.

"Onward!" Using reigns to steer it, and also vocal commands, Kain charged into the battle aboard the chocobo. He held his spear forth so that it impaled any undead in front of him, occasionally swinging the weapon away to take down enemies to either side of him.