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

[Kyanna Wynne]

"Together as one!"

She exclaimed back to @Magi Heart, letting every inch of spores spread across the battlefield.

After erupting all the corruptive healing power she had gathered from outside the egg, Kyanna nearly fell on her knees, breathing heavily while the fungal corruption continued to spread across her body. Her gaze shifted to the egg, that was now too far, and yet, @MAI appeared just in time to take her back to safety, not struggling or fighting back about it, simply smiling faintly, knowing she could count on the magia whenever she needed.

"... Sorry Mai... I couldn't discharge that much power near the egg..." She smiled apologetically. "You... Are going there?" Her lips pursed, seeing her state, and wrapping her in a brief hug one last time before loosening it. "Please, be careful... I will take care of the egg."

 

[Schilva Flasch]

With Hard Plume withdrawing from its menacing position and @Frey Elzeiros relocated to the safety of the Golden Egg. He could breathe a little easier now.

Then, from somewhere close by, Schilva heard a familiar voice raised nearby, calling for help with mobility. With Frey safe and the threat of Szofrit mounting, Schilva was aware what direction the Starcalled offensive was going. Poking a finger at the battered Faerin, he uttered a quick warning before returning his attention to the battle.

Frey! You stay right here, alright? Don't you die on me before this is over!

Turning about and taking off towards the source of the voice, Schilva recognised who it was easily enough. @Ash Vargold, the crabby fellow coquito-maker, was looking quite different from than the last impression they'd made on each other. Without much time to ask what they were doing here, Schilva lightly boosted off his heels and left a whooshing backdraft in his wake.

You got it!

As large as Ash was, it wasn't anything Schilva couldn't do; tackling the Beastfolk by the waist and using his momentum to navigate the chaotic battlefield, the two sped towards their common target at breakneck speed.

ALRIGHT! Let's get th...uh, wait, what's the...plan!?

 

[Ash Vargold]

Ash startled at Schilva's abrupt appearance. There's a moment where a few of his spectral claws are readied to attack but... no, it's just the guy who thought swords were a good tool for opening coconuts.

"Plan? Ah-"

He glanced towards the chaotic storm that was Szofrit in the distance.

"...hit her until she's down?"

@Schilva Flasch

 

[Schilva Flasch]

Alright, I like that! Nice and simple! BRACE UP!!

Ignoring the fact that he was almost the victim of @Ash Vargold's defensive spectres, Schilva continued to dash towards the swirling mass of steel-tinged memories, charging through fearlessly.

Here! Take my sword, make me proud!

Unfastening his offhand blade from his hip, the speeding swordsman lends out his precious blade in a rare act of camaraderie. Still high off the dose of motivation from the heroic realisation he had come to, he saw no issue with handing out the blade that he was usually so protective of.

Really open that tin-can up like a coconut! Just...be careful with it, okay?

 

[Ash Vargold]

Ash blinked at the offered sword. He had his own sword, and wasn't sure what could set @Schilva Flasch's apart from his, but he recognized a motion of trust when he saw one.

"I'll do my best."

Ash moved to sheathe his own blade, only for one of the claws to nab it from his hands first. A memory whispered at the back of his mind, and he muttered more to himself than Schilva as he took the offered katana.

"...yeah. We can make this work."

 

[Lune]

"Yes, and no. We'll talk about this later."

The half-blonde woman swiftly dodged while still mid-air, deflecting projectiles away with her gravity magic, shaped like a shield warding away attacks. She followed behind @Hanno Futaba.

"Just like old times. I'll have your back, as you have mine."

 

[Frey Elzeiros]

Wait, what did you say?

YOU ARE GONNA HAVE TO TALK LOUDER, YOU KNOW I CAN'T HEAR YOU WHEN YOU SUDDENLY TAKE OFF LIKE THAT.

Ho-Hold on! Lemme move closer so I can hear ya better!

@Schilva Flasch

 

[Hanno Futaba]

"We... Must..." He pursed his lips. "But yes, we got each other's back now, we can't be defeated."

He was certain, knowing that having Corvella by his side this fight had hope, even if they had to face defeat, they should just... leave... alive... to fight back once again.

After exchanging blows with the Mother of Machines, he loss height, forcing a landing that was cushioned by Ghast's tentacles, just in time for his attention to be snatched by a distant figure, one that was similar.

"Attia?!" He exclaimed, noticing Attia sending herself straight to danger. "Attia! Go back! Szofrit's spears will--!" Hanno gritted his teeth, knowing he was too far to reach her in time.

 

[Ishtar]

Attia's frankly pathetic low-level bardiche came down hard, crashing against Sozfrit's defenses. Images flood into her mind as she drew back for the next strike, her rage boiling and shunting out all other distractions. A nosebleed quickly follows and she winces, trying to retain her focus long enough to deliver the second strike, chipping off just a little bit more.

Her frenzy is cut short as a sudden strike sends her head spinning. She gasps, her wings crumpling around her shoulders while she tries to regain her balance.

A voice calls out to her and her eyes widen.

"Hanno?" She turns her head in confusion and relief. "You're okay." Even far away, she could tell he was alright.

That's good.

@Hanno Futaba

 

[Fuxi]

Inari was so distracted by the first blue-haired beauty passing her by that she didn't even notice the second sidling up to her side and planting a kiss on her temple. Slowly turning her head in the direction of the gently touch, a surprised Inari watched as the same blue-haired girl who'd just passed her waved at her with a soft smile as she slowly disappeared.

What in the FUCK!?

Inari leapt around to face the poor pink haired elf who was mostly trying to make sure her friends didn't die in the most bloody and painful ways possible. and pointed a finger in the general directions of both the now disappeared girl and the one still fighting on the field.

DID YOU SEE THAT!?

Inari turned back around to watch the girl fight.

Wow...

@Rael ​

 

[Raid Boss]

Phase 3

Time has moved forward.

All in-character dialogues and communications must now take place after Cycle 6.

 

[Aerial]

The white-haired woman trembled. Rage caused her vision to - briefly - turn red.

"We'd won."

An accusatory glance was shot toward the Golden Egg. Was this the doing of the egg? Reviving its "Mother"?

"Who - or what - the fuck decided to go all whoo timey wimey wizard and fucking reset the boss fight?"

​

 

[Asher]

Asher gasps, finding himself back near the golden egg instead of protecting those leading the assault against Snowdiz. He looks around, finding the Knight-Commander (@Raid Boss), and immediately raising his voice.

Knight-Commander Levi! You have to give the order. We have to save her! She has too much information--We need to find out what she knows in order to protect the world from whatever else the fuck is coming!

 

[Hanno Futaba]

Hanno's teeth gritted seeing @Attia Patal being deadly struck by the spears-- But his scream was cut short by the time rewinding, managing to endure the drawbacks momentarily, breathing heavily before he felt like being dragged away from the combat, soon finding himself near the others.

"Shit, Attia, what--"

He scowled, glancing at his friend, seemingly 'intact' compared to the horrible sight he had to bear, but the tears she had on her were concerning, especially followed by words that felt... Unsettling.

His attention, however, averted to Levi (@Raid Boss), as soon as he heard @Asher calling the commander's name.

"Commander, he is right, you can't just ignore the situation and go straight for the kill. That won't solve anything. We don't know if there is any other source to find answers." He frowned. "Besides, those that are trying to warn everyone of that are the same that warned about the attack at Camp Hope. They must have seen something we aren't aware of... And... I saw it myself too. What Trinity said when we fought Eve. Our chance to make the right choice is now."

 

[Jin]

"I have to disagree," Jin cut in, still heavily disoriented.

Hadn't they just watched the last throes of the dissonant Magia's ill-fated attempts at survival? Why did it seem like they were seeing the same moments over again, yet having an entirely new conversation?

Who- or what - the fuck decided to go all whoo timey wimey wizard and fucking reset the boss fight?"

So he wasn't imagining it. Someone had tampered with the ebb and flow of time, and they had bought Szofrit precious seconds to live- and the opinions of the Starcalled would be what decided if she remained balanced on the knife's edge or teetered over and fell to her death.

"Knowledge can be useful, but the cost of that knowledge can easily outweigh the benefit. If she lives, there is no way we can ensure that she won't go rampant again- nevermind that the Landers will know what happened here." He eyed Childress @Raid Boss carefully. "Or are you all operating under the delusion that this one will keep the truth to herself, knowing full well how many have been denied justice by what transpired here? Having been one of the many who lost loved ones?"

Jin smiled knowingly. The "valiant" and "noble" heroes from a distant land would do their level best to convince themselves that they knew better, and that the mercy route would yield sweeter fruit- the very act of playing Devil's Advocate offered him no small amount of enjoyment.

"Do as you will, of course. For my part, I won't spare her the blade. There's nothing to be gained from simply following the crowd when the crowd is clearly filled to the brim with bleeding hearts who see only what is in front of them."

 

[Ash Vargold]

The world snaps back into focus, but Ash is longer to catch up. Unfamiliar memories throng his mind, and the presence of the eye is so overwhelming he can't even focus on it. The air is thick with the smell of Dissonance, still seeing the fully distorted Szofrit in his mind's eye...

"This can't go on. We... we need to end this."

By the tone of his voice, and the way his grip on his sword tightens, it doesn't seem like he's thinking of saving anyone.

 

[Luthien]

Her eyes barely caught a name displayed in the flickering UI before a sharp pain flared across her forehead as time moved forwards again, the elf staggering on her feet before a hand pressed against the golden eggshell as Lúthien sought to stabilize herself. Warmth flooded her senses then, the familiar consciousness that quietly pushed against her own providing just enough relief for the ranger's ears to start making out the conversation at hand once more.

@Asher and @Hanno were currently pressing the Pride Commander, a soft nod of agreement given as she heard the words of the teal-haired faerin, before she caught the accusatory glance of @Aerial towards the Golden Egg at her side. Crimson eyes narrowed in response, returning the same intensity to the other as Lúthien's hand remained pressed against it, before finally turning her attention to the loud @Childress.

"Never knew our only white whistle was a goddamn idiot." A scoff escaped her at the absurdity of it all, ignoring the remnants of her own headache as the elf pressed the Felis further with her words.

"Like he said," A nod was given towards @Kiryuu. "We're not animals driven by instinct and fear, we're Whistles! We brave the unknown and uncover the secrets of the World—and, right now, Szofrit is a trove full of them... only a fool would seek to kill her."

Words of discord drifted from the mouth of another, one she personally didn’t know but recognized from the battlefield. She couldn’t help the scowl that crossed her face at the shortsightedness that those looking to kill the Mother of Machines all seemed to display in the ranger’s eyes.

"Should we just go about slaying others for crimes committed while they were not themselves in the name of justice?" A pointed glare was given towards the man. "Because if so, that same judgment would have to be applied to every Magia controlled today."

"This can't go on. We... we need to end this."

While those were words she'd wished to hear from a familiar voice the tone in them cause the blood in her veins to run cold, eyes glancing towards @Vargold in time to see the man’s grip tighten on the hilt of his blade.

"You’re right, we must end this… but that's only possible by fixing the root source that’s caused it all." A few steps carry her away from the Golden Egg and towards his side, a hand reaching out to press her palm against the one with a deathgrip on his sword. "We need her if we hope to find the source of dissonance, otherwise history will just continue to repeat itself… and innocent people will lose their lives again."

 

 

[Ash Vargold]

Ash's eyes darted towards Luthien. It's not just the tone of his words - there's a sharpness to his gaze that she's never seen before. And yet, there's something unfocused there - like he's not entirely seeing her.

Disconcertingly, a few spectral claws rise in reaction to her touch, as if ready to strike back.

"I've fought Dissonance before. Seen what it can do. Died to it."

There's a moment where, through damage to Ash's clothing, something seems to shift, a glimpse of red that seems to look directly at Luthien before Ash clutches a hand over the gap, hiding it from sight.

"Dying is probably the kinder fate."

@Luthien

 

[Lune]

Recovering from the headache, Lune's voice returned to her usual deep, modulated harmony. She noticed the others debating about the fate of Szofrit, who should've been dead by now.

"What now?"

"You take action." The other voice inside her spoke, relegating the choice to the one true wielder of the body. Lune, no, Moonsong. Does she have what it takes?

"When we met, I swore to inherit your desire to protect, whatever it takes, no matter how dark the path is."

"Then you have decided."

She turned away from the others, slowly approaching the world-ending threat while exclaiming loudly to the group.

"Stop pursuing answers. You all get people killed, and then you blame the game. We, the Starcalled, don't belong here.

Close this chapter, close this book, and maybe just close the game. It's the only way we'll be able to prevent more deaths.

Adventure? Answers? I'm not risking more shit for all of you guys' entertainment. I'm putting an end to your childish scooby-doo games."

Maybe Chelsea had a pretty good point, after all.

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

Scorched fur and rotting fangs...

After recovering from the mindfuck that was the chronoshift Mizuki glared at everyone around her. Too many people still trying to figure out what to do when this was the opportunity to capture Szofrit. They'd complained that it was too dangerous, yet now they were still finding reasons to justify their bullheadedness.

Who said we're capturing her for the sake of kindness?

These words were spat towards @Ash Vargold, who appeared to not be doing too hot right now. Her nose warned her that something was seriously off with the other caenis.

We're capturing her because if we don't we're back at square one, waiting for the next Dissonance-driven threat to come at us with us knowing nothing about how, why, or what to do about it.

And if anyone gets in the way of that, I'll pull their fangs out.