Complete Comms Main Story (S4 Finale) DRAGON.end - Phase 3

[Jin]

"Different?"

He repeated the word, tasting, testing, savoring it. Finally, he spat out his response. The idea of being built differently from humans certainly did carry a payload of irony after everything he had just said.

"It falls within error, at least,"

In the real world, it might not have been the case. Here in Terrasphere, though? He was anything but 'just like everyone else.'

...Please don't die.

"Don't stay your blade for the convictions of others, Zelrius,"

He warned the man, just before he parted.

"A moment of hesitation can bring a lifetime of regret. Remember that many lives hang in the balance. Her death is no more or less valuable than her life- if one will save everyone, pay with the coin that yields the best fruit."

And with that, Zelrius was gone.

@Zelrius @Lune

 

[Lune]

"Or maybe we're the humans."

The way @Jin told @Zelrius to be his own man greatly reminded her of herself. Maybe this time it would knock some sense into the fiery swordsman.

"It looks like we're both more similar than I thought."

She's not referencing the fact that both of them can regenerate their bodies with substances, no. Maybe it's all just interesting to him, but he got what it takes to resolve this.

"No justification in my steel. If we're both going to hell, I'm paying for the drinks."

 

[MAI]

"She is trying to systematically get rid of us, use tactics to divide us, exploit every advantage she has. That is not madness. But if you really need a solid reason as to why we should save her rather than kill her... it's the creator."

She let the weight of that word sink in so everyone could understand the situation they were in.

"Unlike the others, when she took control over my body, I managed to split my consciousness and hide a part of it within a drone that followed my body as it acted on its own. I witnessed a brief moment in the dragonhead with Szofrit. She is aware of some kind of creator and the fact that this is not the only world. She is aware that this is a game and she is determined to win it in our stead."

@Ueno Mizuki @Ash Vargold

"I hope you all understand just how important Szofrit could be, then. As far as we know, she is a 'Lander' but almost behaves more like a 'Starcalled'. As for the eggs... I don't want to use the gold egg as a meat shield, or even as a bargaining chip. We do not know what is inside, but Szofrit refered to what is inside of the crimson one as a 'Red Key' while Null called it an evil robotic version of... something. She didn't finish her thought back then. But if Szofrit does love her children, well and truly... then maybe the golden child could be the one to convince her to step down."

@Kyanna Wynne @Luthien

 

[Seigi Ling Ling]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. Why are you all making this so complicated when it's actually SO SIMPLE!? Killing is bad. We avoid doing the bad. What more reason do you need? Szofrit's kinda too crazy to talk to right now, so first the punching to calm her down, then the questioning!

 

[Ash Vargold]

There are a lot of words flying around, and most of them are going in circles. Ash bites his lip as his [Primal Aura] echoes his discontent.

"Fucking hell, guys, 'don't kill her' doesn't mean 'lie down and accept your inevitable fate'. There's such a thing as a non-lethal takedown."

"We can all worry about killing or saving the animals later, after we've got things under control. She's tough enough to take a few hits until then."

 

[Magi Heart]

Magi Heart

Magi Heart, now more like Dark Heart if anyone were to look upon her abyssal dress and expanding shadow wings spreading like tentacles in all directions as if the girl was a mere lure upon the ever-dark. Her staff had blood-colored plumes of mana on each end and she spun them in front of her creating a dazzling effect over the makeshift concert being performed by one other pinkette.

Wendel was uninterested in her. She was just some overly optimistic elf following the path Magi had left behind AND had forgotten her candied meat bowl. The Red Egg would be a good substitute!

The gold eye of Stella Fantasia struggling to be present in the encompassing grudge of Gudrun Rising, still the broken parts of a tired but willful girl reached out. Wendy's disembodied voice and her feelings even if blanketed in dissonance were spoken.

"I knew I wasn't alone. You were the other one I felt back there on the road to Dragonhead? You were at the camp too. Miss... let's hope together! Believe and let's make this go as best we can!"

"Hope for as much permadeath as possible I say. It's all going to end the same. I can shift through our shitty futures too and hope isn't going to help if misplaced. Hope for the end, nothing else matters."

"You were wrong at Camp Hope... you'll be wrong here. Go for it @Rael ! You have whatever, umm... I am's support"

"...you sure about that? Maybe I see things a bit further out than you do *giggle*."

 

[Luthien]

"Pap—ahem— @Vargold is right, the only thing we're asking is for Szofrit to not be killed. It's clear she won't listen to just words right now, so we'll have to use force to subdue her." A slip of the tongue was barely covered up before Lúthien nodded in @MAI 's direction. "I agree... Emm here might be the key to our plan, though I don't think we should attack their twin. If there's a chance that the other egg has been corrupted, like Szofrit, then maybe we'll be able to cure them?"

The palm resting on the golden eggshell gave it one last caress before the elf shifted to her instrument, concentrating her aeromancy on dispersing the melody of their tune as far and wide as possible as the improvised concert between @Rael, @Vina and herself began. A sudden flare of magic lighted up the sky with dazzling effects, though the ranger almost missed a note when she turned around and spotted @Magi as the source of it.

"Wendel!"

The initial wariness she felt soon gave way to surprise as Lúthien recognized a voice she hadn't expected to hear from Magi, before the pinkette's fluctuated between Magi's usual voice and that of the Wendel within the pinkette's dreams.

 ​

 

[Tick Tock]

If Robomama gets what she wants, there will be no Mama or Tick Tock anymore, Mama. No tactical retreat this time, it will be running away, and that's what starlosers do!

Tick declared between Eva's worries. Sure, they sustained enough damage to break them twice, but they were back in one piece-- Or at least with four limbs and one head.

Or Kyanna, which, speaking of, Bestie threatened to take away from Tock and marry her in her stead. MAMA WE CAN'T ALLOW IT, TOCK WILL FIGHT FOR HER LOVE!!

She shouted to the four winds in a mix of tantrum and declaration of power to the lovess of god that reigned over her that emotion, if only to make the two totally legit lovers to get out of this pickle of a situation.

Cat dad is right, mhm! Last time Tick checked, this is no monologue theatre, so Tick suggests you all saviours and slayers begin to read your script and play your parts!

Doubt Big sis's plan or not, remove her arms and legs, make a tasty red omelette, and THEN you all can go back to this soap opera about life and death, yes yes?

Tick loved the dramatics everyone has been up to so far, very in character for each little individual, from the ferocious mutt to the hero who brought her back to life to Kyanna's magia friend. But there's such a thing as bad practices in this world of actors.

Their hesitance had become an annoyance fit to be called corpsing upon everyone's play.

"Wendel!"

The screams of a puerto rican elf stranger elf caught her ears, specially because to who they were directed to, Tick's smile growing from ear to ear, if it hadn't been already like that a second earlier.

Wendel? Oh what a cute name you have, Magi! And here Tick thought Pinkie was cute enough, hehe.

 

[Raid Boss]

Part 1

Childress silently acknowledged @Asher who came to her rescue right as @Chrys took the Immortal Heroine's hand and mounted Hard Plume. Despite her state, her battle spirit was burning hotter than ever, had Asher been remotely in tune with the beast inside him, he would have felt the Beast Lord breathing down with excitement over Childress' actively dying state, and not like anything he had felt before.

When Asher reached the Rally Point [ 5 ], Childress asked to be put down where the healers were.

"My arm is detached from the socket, put it back first and start healing the ligaments then close off the wound. It doesn't need to look pretty or painless, just make sure the nerves are properly re-attached. I'm going to use a brace to keep it aligned and use the other arm as the swordhand from now."

As the healers got to work, she turned toward Asher.

"Brave of you to run right at the steel cavalry right that, young man. Thanks. Though, I think you've royally pissed off the Beast Lord by denying his meal this time. Better watch your back, kaha!"

"Even if I'm... the guy who save heroes... it doesn't mean I'm better than them. Haha... I still can't believe that you're... the same girl from all those months ago. Thank you. I seriously owe you one for saving my hide."

Even in his bloody and battered state, Chad flashed a smile at his savior (@Fina Drago), one that still exude a warmth that had largely left the battlefield.

"Fina was it? Good job. Put him down over there so he can get treated."

Accelerator spoke with a commanding voice, making sure people are organized and knowing exactly what to do. A person with time to kill and no direction to follow would only bring chaos and waste everyone's time. He firmly believed that and served to make each and every single person useful, especially when they have the incarnation of death waiting outside the safe zone.

Meanwhile, Feo was completely out cold, even after being revived. His chief healer confirmed with Accelerator that he was indeed no longer dead, warranting an affirmative nod from the tactician himself. Accelerator gestured a good job toward @Alcea.

The moment he spotted @Ilusa Nakhalee, he came over to the felis and checked to make sure she wasn't injured.

"I thought I had lost you when the world went dark," he let out a sigh of relief. "More injured people are rallying here, can you hold on a little longer? We need them as patched up as they can. Szofrit is preparing something."

When he saw @Langley carrying Levi and his deputy knight in, he signaled two healers who were on standby to treat their wounds, which were as fatal as Feodan's, considering that they took the Ley Lance head on and without much protections.

"Knight Commander, Sarina and Feodan are basically out after eating the Ley Lance, but what about you, can you keep going? We need your inspiring presence to keep motivation high as we charge into the mouth of death."

Accelerator cut to the chase. Any second he wasted on idleness was time that would accelerate their defeat. Much work remained.

"With how fiercely they are fighting out there, they don't need a wounded lion to hobble in front of them. We're not an army and not pawns to be moved, Tactician. Just about everyone here knows they have to help the wounded and stick the right end of the sword into the enemy. I'll fight alongside them."

While the healers were hard at work, Levi looked around for @Hanno Futaba, seeing as how their conversation continued to be interrupted.

"Has anyone seen Hanno?"

Just as the topic of conversation shifted toward the ongoing debate between saving and killing Szofrit and what to do about the eggs, Accelerator turned toward Chad.

"Hey Captain, are you ready for extra work? I asked Kiryuu to picked up some people who got hit with both Genocide Moon and Mega Kinesis, since he was so insistent on saving, every, single, person. Time for you to rescue the heroes again."

"Dammit, just the big earthquake attack nearly put me out. The crazy bastard! Alright, you can count on me Mister Tictactoe. Just give me some extra protein and I'll bring him back, Knight's promise."

Levi's ears perked up at the conversation between Accelerator and Chad. Had someone mentioned the name of the enemies' skills? How was it that Accelerator just casually dropped them as though he had seen them. Levi was certain that Accelerator was one of the name on his list of UI-locked. The stranger thing was that no one should even be able to access their UI right now due to the noise as had been reported.

Levi made a note to pay extra attention to the Tactician, his intuition, which was honed through law enforcement was coming through in full force. When he turned toward Astor, it seemed the King also noticed it. It seemed that there was hope for the hot-tub diva after all, being someone in the some profession as him.

It was surprising to Levi that Astor, who brought Accelerator on, wasn't aware of everything the man was capable of, enough that the odd mentioning tripped him up.

For the time being, Levi was going to remain silent as the conversation speedily moved toward a divisive topic.

 

[Ash Vargold]

"Oh, uh, if you're looking for Hanno..."

Ash glances at Levi (@Raid Boss). One of his ghost claws points out the screaming orb of divine energy in the distance.

"He's having a Time."

 

[Raid Boss]

Part 2

"I agree with the opinion that we should not kill Szofrit, as she knows exactly what is inside them, and how to operate them as the robot girl (@MAI) had said. But, there are a few issues we've got to work out beforehand.

First, the King needs to become the scapegoat and step down. We're not going to be able to convince the lander that saving Szofrit is for their benefit at all. I'm sure they can smell the bullshit from a mile away. Therefore, the King needs to act like a tyrant and take the fall.

Second, there's no telling how the battle is going to go from here. If she somehow pulls wool over our eyes at the last second, we're just going to lose both her and the egg, so we need an insurance policy."

He turned toward the black-haired man.

"The summon's got a point. We can subdue her. I'm confident in that."

"I did hear a blue-haired woman (@Rael) spoke about a counter-measure devised by someone who was turned by Szofrit herself, though, I don't understand how it's supposed to work. Szofrit can be a useful asset.

Though, I'm not a fan of having the King take the fall. It would create far too much hostility and instability in the country if the leader of the Starcalled are making calls like that. It will further cement their fear and invite troubles to Astorea, especially while we're doing everything in our power to maintain good relation with the People of the Land."

"I was brought on to put together a plan to get people back to the real world, Commander. We can't have our cake and eat it too. There are real people dying out there. A father looking to get back to their children, police to catch the bad guys, and kids seeing their parents again," he gestured at Feodan and others whose backgrounds he was aware of.

"Your Majesty, now is the time to choose where our priority lies. We can save Szofrit and use her to help us uncover the way back. Even if the Landers away from here scath the decision to keep the Mother of Machines alive, the Landers on the front line will follow your lead as they always do. Loyalty is a funny thing after all."

"Hey! Don't put words in my mouth. I am not staunchly against the plan. I just think there's a better way to go about this. We can't just rush into a battle plan like that with complete confidence that an unknown power can subdue her. One mistake and many lives will be lost.

Astor. Prudence is vital here. Don't fall for this fanaticism. Take a moment and think."

"The fighting force is pushing in.

They are about to get their second winds any moment now.

We don't have time."

"I see where the Tactician's priority lies. How about the King, who claimed that he shoulders the burden and welfare of all of his subjects?

Are we to be sacrificed for the benefits of the Starcalled, your supreme majesty?"

Childress fixed her eyes onto Astor like many of the Landers around, waiting for his response.

"The Starcalled heroes bring calamity to the land. The world is better rid of them. They return home and you can go back to your lives. Let us bring the end to dragons. Dragons will not fall upon these lands again.

It's a mutually beneficial arrangement. Pragmatism, was it not, Holder of the White Whistle? Or is pragmatism only regarded when it suits your narrative.

The temporary and sacrifice of the few is for the benefits of all. ALL Landers here will die knowing that they are the DRAGON.enders, who depose the tyrant and protect their land from his oppressive hands. After all, the king cares only for his kind."

The dialog is now open for everyone else to jump in.​

 

[Ash Vargold]

Ash isn't the sort to interfere in the actions of the so-called leaders of Astorea. But hearing the people who are supposed to be the most influencial warriors on this battlefield fall into the same trap is very frustrating.

"Pardon me for interrupting, but is this really the time for complex political machinations and plotting the downfall of your 'guild'?"

Its a good thing the ghost hands are somewhat autonomous, because otherwise his distraction might cause more problems on the battlefield.

"There's this lovely little concept called 'taking prisoners of war'. How about we focus on getting people out of here alive, trying that, and you can all bicker about who gets last hit when we're not in the middle of a battlefield?!"

@Raid Boss

 

[Jin]

"Astor. Prudence is vital here. Don't fall for this fanaticism. Take a moment and think."

Jin sighed heavily. There were always those who talked about wisdom and prudence in the face of a pragmatic decision.

"Would you like to take over fighting her while he thinks about it?"

Jin called back over his shoulder toward Levi (@Raid Boss ) Fortunately, Accelerator snapped back just as quickly as the voice of reason.

"We don't have time."

"Finally, someone with a brain,"

The Bloodsworn mused.

"I see where the Tactician's priority lies. How about the King, who claimed that he shoulders the burden and welfare of all of his subjects?

Are we to be sacrificed for the benefits of the Starcalled, your supreme majesty?"

He contained the elation that came with the first sparks of distrust flying through the air. The way these people railed against each other gave him such a rush. His eyes turned back to Szofrit as he licked his lips hungrily, greedily. Keep her alive. Kill her. Abdicate the throne. It just kept getting better.

"ALL Landers here will die knowing that they are the DRAGON.enders, who depose the tyrant and protect their land from his oppressive hands. After all, the king cares only for his kind."

Frame a new narrative. Push it with the deaths of those who might dissent. Galvanize the anti-Astor sentiment with their blood, create something new, unknown, chaotic. Oh yes, Jin just knew that this Faerin was interesting.

"Pardon me for interrupting, but is this really the time for complex political machinations?"

Ah yes. Bless Vargold, ever the voice of reason. Perhaps it would abate some of the derision.

"Only for those of us who aren't pulling their weight,"

Jin shot a wink back toward Accelerator, who was tugging at all the right strings.

"Show them your resolve, little man,"

Jin laughed.

"You're dealing with hotheads who preach about honor and order. They don't respect words. Only actions."

The Tactician had gotten under Childress' skin, but the others? They required convincing. A bit of bad cop worse cop, as it were.

"Let's show them the proper path for all of Astorea."

 

[MAI]

Accelerator suddenly agreed with her, despite what he presented so far as the most efficient way of resolving this entire situation? That seemed a bit strange. That said, MAI didn't like his plan all that much and had something different to offer, so she tried to interject herself between him and Levi.

"It is true that the Landers will not accept a resolution where an enemy that caused this much destruction gets to go off consequence-free, so to speak. Therefore, Szofrit will die here. Killed by the Starcalled so that peace can be restored. With so much influence you all hold, you can make that the official version of events while the real, still alive Szofrit, goes into hiding and we figure out all of these important questions out of public eye?"

@Raid Boss

 

[Tick Tock]

When @Ash Vargold begun to talk, and after readjusting their brains (?) from Lord Flash's fastest piggyride in history, the puppet duo hid behind the wolf man, leaning from each side of him as they stared at the group he had chosen to slap with heavy-handed facts.

Papa, don't be mad, they are just wasting everyone's time and dooming us and the people they want to protect to death!

Their brains are still adjusting to the bloodloss. Give them a minute, dad!

Tick circled around Ash once, then hopped her way right towards Childress herself, with one final jump standing right infront of the presumed representative of the Landers.

You know better than anyone it's time to act, yes?

She couldn't believe she had to be the voice of reason! No one ever listens to her reason in the first place, but somehow the stars aligned for her to carry out some form of generalized opinion. Brr! The chills she couldn't feel! How boring

Our tactician Hastenator whispers lies, big cat lady. Alas, there's no time! The world as starcalled and lander know will come to an end if we don't fight. Pleeeeeeeease?

Tick singsongs, in her best attempt to convince the white whistle to do the right thing. Plus, siding with the Landers would certainly mean less chances of getting squished like a bug for her playtime at Finweald. Double the win!

Hehe, good plan!

Tock circled around @MAI, one, two laps, before finally halting right next to her fellow magia.

Almost too innocent for a beep booper like Tock! So many of them nodding their heads at you, followers of Apate the lot. 'Szofrit is dead!' they say. But all it takes is for one fancy elf showing off their dreams to a radical leader, or one little Magia to project the reality of this conversation and...

Tock narrated, her eyes drifting away from MAI and onto the denizens around here, the ones who just finished their part, and those who only seemed to preach on chaos and the general consensus of 'All of Astorea' upon their own personal path.

...Well, Tock likes you, you ate an electric bolas for her, so Tock will make sure you make it out of here as safe and sound as possible, new friend! Tock will even make you a new face if you want. All at the cost of a hug, thirty seconds counted by Tock.

 

[MAI]

"I don't think any magia will be showing any recording to anyone without having their face caved in after this... landers will not like us, magia Starcalled, after what had happened. Also, I can make myself a new face just fine..."

@Tick Tock

 

[Raid Boss]

His sharp blue eyes focused on @Ash Vargold's contrasting gold.

"No, it is precisely at this moment that the King needs to wield his power to ensure that the Landers keep fighting. People respond better to tyrants in times of emergency. Kindness and consideration do not bring people home from the battlefield. To win a war, you need to either inspire the troops with idealism or cudgel them with fear.

The King holds the soldier's lives in his hands and since he's unable to inspire anything anymore, considering the destruction Szofrit has wrought, it's time he dons the mantle of the tyrant and spur the Lander forward so we can bring Szofrit down to a level where we can convert her into a prisoner of war. It will take more than Starcalled to achieve that.

The message is easy, your majesty. You either fight for the crown, or you get trampled on. The people here don't have the choice, wield them as your power deigned. Your tyranny will help us acquire Szofrit as a tool for the path ahead, while still scapegoating the animosity spearheading our way."

 

[Jin]

"Great... now they're all talking."

He sighed.

 

[Ash Vargold]

Oh, this guy.

Ash didn't like this guy from the beginning. Not since he decided to single him out for the sole purpose of... what, flexing his information gathering? And he certainly doesn't like him now.

"This bootleg Machiavelli spiel is a shitty fucking plotline."

"You've got all these brand new players who barely understand what's going on, but decided this world was worth dying for. You could at least offer them the basic respect of not painting them as villains."

Ash's primal aura simmers with discontent. The swarm of limbs he's controller gets a little more violent with their barrage on Szofrit. And in his frustration he points his sword towards the king's feet - not as a threat, but because all his other hands are full.

"Good grief, this guy doesn't suck at leading because he's not enough of a bastard, it's because you are all standing around ROLEPLAYING instead of coming up with a GODDAMN STRATEGY."

@Raid Boss

 

[Rael]

Light surged, unknown and accentuating the joint performance of the gathered Songstresses. A commotion was forming underneath, but that would be a task for her Summons to stay aware of. Now, she had her sights on something else.

She faltered into a verse as a voice invaded her head, one she had heard once, so very long ago... Now turned to something else, to a gentleness not previously witnessed.

Rael would, taking advantage of the power momentarily borrowed from Luthien, look at the figure for but a moment before hovering her way towards her.

"You... I always wondered what... No matter. Show me."

Two voices, joined as one. Similar, and yet impossibly different from one another. Without ignoring one over the other, she answered both.

"Tell me of them, of our failures. Of the futures you've witnessed."

Rael put her hand to the savior's own where she held her staff, and held it there.

"And do not believe, do not hope, that we can make it better. Grasp that knowledge, and create something better."

---

@Magi Heart​