“By my hand, I will remake the world.” [Event]

Thu Feb 11, 2021 5:18 pm

[PLAY POSTING MUSIC]

“By my hand, I will remake the world.” [Event] 6EdIfMt

Death Walks Among You

Artist: N/A - Song: N/A

Evil begets evil.

In the tranquility which was Earth, the most grand of threats had been averted with World War Four. For many of the concerns people had where laid to rest with the removal of Shadow Fall from earth. In a twist of events which left much of the world hurting, but in good order able to recover. It was no wonder that Desmond Hayden had settled into a life of near peace, with his family and the administration of his nation. From the outside it appeared he had acquired everything which he could ever hope to achieve, reaching a peak of fame and power which had once seemed but a mere dream.

However, within his closest circles laid a small truth. That Hayden was only playing a façade, a mask of peace which seemed inevitably going to end. He was a man whom held within him a dangerous beast, an apocalypses which could very well be the destruction of the life which they've grown to known. The day Wolf Lionus placed his hand within the chest of Hayden, was the day which a fated encounter was predestined. The moment the all seeing eye of a being whom needed not food, energy, or power. But a singular host whom could house them, to be their avatar upon an insolent world which changed far too much.

If it could not indirectly influence the course of events, then it would need to do everything in it's power to assume direct control.

There is no telling what spurred on this attack, only that the constant barrage of assaults upon the mind of Desmond Hayden had worn him down. That no matter how great his will, no matter how many times he rebuffed it, that eventually it would win. In the course of such an inevitability, Hayden had made a protocol. One which would move outside the bounds of normality, a last resort when faced with an extreme. Should he ever fall to the Great Enemy, certain individuals and organizations would be contacted. This was known as the ‘Martyr’ protocol known only to Abalia, Liu, and select members of the military and government.

On the date February 11th, 2421 it would be enacted.

What went through the mind of Hayden would only be known to him, as he locked himself within one of the deepest cages in Vastime. In a final bid to perhaps buy more time, to organize a meeting with Mana or Cyrus before things reached a critical mass. He intended to lock himself in a state of meditation, for as his mind grew weaker against the assaults it was only a matter of time before he fell. For a month, a war waged within his mind as channels where established and on the eve of the meeting- everything came apart.

The cage which housed Hayden was made of their strongest metals, with the most power enchantments they could muster. A combination of demon magic, forbidden kido, and raw spiritual pressure kept the barriers up. On top of a substantial part of the Vastimian network, resulting in a noticable dip in their defenses. A risk needed to ensure that in the worse case, they had time. In a small office, a red light beeped. Followed by an alarm which ran straight into Vastime War Room indicating that a terrible rise in energy was felt.

The cage in which Hayden was locked, quaked. As across the continent of Africa Earthquakes erupted, sending tectonic plates shifting. Tsunamis where forming, as the very core of the Vastimian Kingdom shook. In that war room, generals of varying ranked scrambled to send out the messages. Calling all units home, reaching out to key individuals with a singular message.

“The king has fallen. The Great Enemy at the gates. Arrive to the following coordinates with haste.”

For those who would receive this message would know The Great Enemy. Months prior, Hayden has individually spoke to Lux Orior, The Vandenreich, The Gotei, and even attempted K World. If this message was sent, it would mean a singular thing: He had lost the fight, and The Avatar of Death would walk the Earth. And he would spare no organization, nation, or person.

As the world felt a ripple of spiritual energy flare at the core of Vastime, a God walked among the denizens of Earth.

Thu Feb 11, 2021 6:53 pm

“By my hand, I will remake the world.” [Event] JM16bVw

Saisei | Chasing The Inevitble Return

February 11th, 2421. It was a normal day for most. Earth was at peace compared to recent years and was almost begging for an inevitable fallout from World War 4. Despite that, Saisei was on edge. Stationed within The City of Light, the boy had found himself filled with what one could only note as an unknown stress. He had woken up with a hole in his heart for lack of words. As the seconds passed and he stood at his post, a gentle ache and twinge of pain racked him on repeat. At this point, it took nearly all he could muster to stay composed in front of his superiors.

Dark clouds had silently littered the city's sky without notice, signs of a coming storm. Saisei watched without a word, the sky above and pain within constantly attacking him to degrees he hadn't known were possible. A sickness had overtaken the boy, the gentle sounds of clicking easing their way into his mind's eye. For a boy he seemed to have quite the dearth in regards to his well-being. Any sane person would find themselves hospitalized. Nevertheless, the sickened boy continued his blank stare, the world around him returning to its original state.

Nothingness. The sky fell, the City of Light returned to the earth. Suspended in what seemed an endless void, Saisei had returned to the Nothingness.

'The king has fallen. The Great Enemy at the gates. Arrive to the following coordinates with haste.'

The words were not meant for Saisei. The words spoken were meant for a select few members of the Vastimian Military and special members of Desmond Hayden's closest friends and allies. The boy didn't understand the words, the people associated or his feelings. The Nothingness had returned and that wass all that truly mattered.

The quake of energy that followed brought Saisei back to the world of the living, the city and its people rushing back into view. A cold sweat inched down his forehead, a huff of air returning to his lungs. With his vision and senses returned, the new recruit fell to his knees. Fighting back the energy that previously occupied his lungs, Saisei rushed to his feet and away from his post. As cliche as it may seem to him, the words uttered for only the most important of people had left him with a sense of dread. What could possibly cause such a disturbing force that it would effect nature as a whole?

Click, Click, Click.

The incessant clicking rattled the boy's mind, the road beneath the truck bed he occupied kicking up dirt left and right. Little time had passed, Saisei had hitched a quick ride from The City to Somalia. The sky above was as dark, if not darker. Wind swept against the sheltered truck bed as it rocketed its way through the Vastimian Capital. Saisei couldn't escape the constant clicking, his fingers shaking with concern as he tried to keep composure.

Minutes later, the truck was stopped and the boy was thrown off. Vastimian Military Personnel had secured the vehicle and held the boy against the ground, barking orders as if he were an enemy. Clearly, the situation had only gotten worse. The truck was quickly redirected away from the heart of the Iron Banner.

"What in god's fucking name would make you think a boy had any right to this land? Somalia's evacuating. You need to leave."

A soldier dragged Saisei to his feet and pulled him in. The soldier was washed with concern and frustration, the world around the two standing still as the young boy held his breath. He knew better than to be here, anyone would. With the world in its current state, no one in their right mind should be running through the Heart of Somalia. Sadly, Saisei wasn't in a state of mind to have any concern for himself. Pushing and pulling away from the soldier's grip, he dug in his inner jacket pocket and pulled out a Vandenreich-issued I.D.

"I'm telling you right now, if you want anyone on your land it'd be the Vandenreich. I'm here on behalf of Helle Armstrong. As one of the few who received your message you're obligated to let me continue on. Armstrong's orders."

The clicking grew louder and louder as the soldier backed down, Saisei's obvious lie bringing him enough credit to allow him to continue with his rush. While it might no hold up under actual communication, he knew bringing up Helle's name in conjunction with his identification would be enough for the time being. The Soldier and those around granted the boy his wish and moved on to help with evacuation measures.

Saisei rushed off towards the coordinates uttered in his mind merely hours before. It was clear that whatever awaited him at the heart of the Iron Banner was well worth his attention. After all, the clicks were finally coming to an end.

'Hello, Azure.'

The pink haired human phased from reality momentarily, his body afloat in an endless void. A voice reached outward from the depths of this void, inching closer and closer to him as he floated aimlessly. Gentle wafts of icy cold air inched across his pale skin. Fingers formed from nothing, the void's black appendages quietly wrapping themselves across Saisei's very soul. Slithering in and out of his very being, the void caressed the boy's soul without question. It felt as if it owned Saisei's Soul. The very soul that Azure Iramasha had lost so very long ago. Digging its non-existent nails into his very being, it spoke once more.

'You've taken far too long to find your way back to me, little boy. I imagine you weren't expecting such a sight in your life, hm? The Great Azure Iramasha seeking out Desmond Hayden on what one could only call his deathbed. What could someone like you ever do in a moment like this for a man who was far beyond saving, hm? Hm? Surely you must know, right? You're Azure Iramasha. You're simply a cracked piece to a whole, a former husk of a man. What could you ever do for this world now that you failed to do before?'

To the outside world, Saisei had fallen mere moments after rushing off from the soldiers evacuating Somalia's citizens. He had stopped breathing, his body had gone pale and seemed to carry little life to it. The boy had, for lack of words, failed. Minutes away from his goal, his singular objective, the boy lied. Saisei continued to exist within his own world, his own little void, his attempt to reach Desmond Hayden coming up fruitless.

"Take him inside. As dangerous as it may be, we have very little choice."

Moments later, soldiers descended on the boy and dragged him to the capital's heart, the very place he had tried to reach from the very beginning. Trapped in his own world with Husk and his failures, Saisei was presumed dead by the soldiers bringing him to his destination. After all, not many could tell what afflicted the boy's very soul. Only those with the intent to see would ever truly know he continued to live on.

After all, what good was A Husk of A Man?

END POST | The Fracture's Return

Thu Feb 11, 2021 6:56 pm

“By my hand, I will remake the world.” [Event] H03xLwt

Abalia

The White Gold Queen had taken the throne.

Her children had already been delivered to the Kyoraku Estate; her role as a mother, as a wife, was now nothing but a memory for so long as it was necessary. Abalia had always been fully prepared for when this day might come, and had known that when it did, she could allow herself no emotion. She would become the woman of stone upon which countless millions relied upon, even if she might do nothing but lead them. Every man in Vastime's forces was mustered, all 10,000 of her Faceless brought to bear. Evacuation processes were already being put into place; the people could not be kept in this place.

Even as she made all of her efforts as the Queen of Vastime, however, she delivered her orders to the Gotei as well; that this was the highest possible alert. Every division was to be kept ready for action at a moment's notice, for what had transpired within Vastime's borders was of the highest possible danger. Of course, she had known these things were always possible, and the Gotei had never been in any position to be caught off guard. But now every Captain was informed of the scope of this event, the truth of what had happened to Desmond Hayden. There was no possible room for her to concern herself with internal affairs, or the maintenance of Vastime's security. She was the White Gold Queen, and she was the Captain Commander. But, above both of those, one thing rang far more important even now:

She was an officer of the people.

Vastime and the Gotei were at the ready, and for them there could be no further preparation with the current state of affairs. But as merely Abalia, there was one final message to be sent, one that she had always been prepared to send should this day come. One which she had told none, not even Hayden himself, that she would send.

A message from Abalia Kyoraku-Hayden, formally inviting her dear friend Mana Asthavon to Vastime's capital.

Thu Feb 11, 2021 6:56 pm

CYRUS

A thousand lamentations, in a single moment, rung from the heart of Cyrus ast-Auramazda. Every fiber of his being knew, from the instant he felt the ripple of power course through the world, that everything had come tumbling down. All of his efforts, all of their aims, could not possibly be seen through now that this had come to pass. Yet, even knowing all of this, knowing that all his life's works might become but ashes, it was not the reason for which his heart quaked with sorrow.

It was, above all else, that he had failed one he loved so dearly.

The love of Ahura Mazda was all-encompassing, reached all possible places, and certainly the divine loved Desmond Hayden as it did all men. But the love Cyrus held toward the king of Vastime, toward Ahura Mitra, was not simply the love of the divine; it was the love of a soul which resonated with another. Not as lovers, not as brothers, but as two of the same path, the same nature, the same spirit. He had mae the vow, to Hayden and to himself, that he would always guard this world from evil. That he would, when the day finally came, destroy the soul of Desmond Hayden such that Death might never claim it.

Today, the oath of Ahura Mazda had been broken.

It was naturally his first action to ready every member of the Vandenreich; whether they wished it or not, it was thoroughly possible that conflict would soon be upon them. They could not allow themselves to simply hope this would leave them untouched, that the other forces of the world might handle it in their stead. They were the Earth's protectors, and when faced with a threat so grace, the only path forward was to prepare for the worst possible outcome. He could entrust the City of Lights to Ninsianna and Helle for the time being; Death was not yet at their door. Cyrus, however, had no choice but to go. He could not let this idly pass, and so the moment all Vandenreich affairs were in order, he spoke forth his divine words, and moved to the Capital of Vastime like desert sands upon the wind.

He did not know who he would find there, but he knew, quite assuredly, that he would not be alone for long.

Thu Feb 11, 2021 7:29 pm

Artist: n/a - Song: n/a

REALM ENFORCEMENT HQ

Butterflies floating atop the wind, and from them a message that broke Magnolia from her revere. There was no time to think, not when the uproar had spread throughout the soul-society once more. The realm was in danger. Her captain commander needed her. What else was there to think of? And so she went, the sekaimon opening, golden eyes staring through the infinite whiteness, transporting herself to another land. to vastime.

Vastime proper

The black doors of the sekaimon split the sky, and like a clap of thunder a solitary figure rushed through its surface, a golden blur shrouded in the unique white haori given to the lieutenant of the captain commanders division. The baleful aura that had rumbled through the realms had been otherworldly, the stench of death all-consuming in its wake.

”What manner of beast have we found here?” Raijin’s tone for the first time since coming to this realm, had a tinge of unease. Whatever had sent that pulse was a being beyond merely the scope of any foe she had faced to date. It was something far more primal.

”I do not know. The Captain commander will fill us in. “ Magnolia’s mental response was filled with the sincerity of her warriors spirit. This was vastime, beyond being one of the most prominent bulwarks against chaos in this realm, she knew it held far more significance to her Captain. It was her dearest home. While the threat to this realm needed to be dealt with, far more importantly Magnolia had come to help Abalia protect this home she held so dear.

Magnolia had no clue of the threat they faced, but she needed not know of it either. Not when the duty that lay before her was so crystal clear. She would protect this realm, as was her duty as a Shinigami. This aberrant foe, whose power stank of death was merely another hurdle to face, and she would face it headlong without reservation.

A flash of golden-white, Magnolia made her way across the city, honing in on the presence of her Captain Commander, she would appear by her side in a gust of wind and lightning, golden eyes focusing on the woman before her, she need not speak of pleasantry or of duty. Instead the words that came forth from her lips were unwavering and clear, full of the steel that composed her will towards protecting this realm.

”I am here Captain. What’re your orders?” The words were as cold and firm as the month she had dismantled numerous shadow-fall bases, and slaughtered tens of thousands of demons upon her blade. Like an unsheath blade she’d lay at her side, awaiting her leaders orders. After all, she was honor bound to remain at her Captains side was she not?

Template By:
[THEFROST]

Thu Feb 11, 2021 8:32 pm

[PLAY POSTING MUSIC]

Death Walks Among You

Artist: N/A - Song: N/A

As those who sought to travel to Vastime made their ways, the thunderous echoes of energy seemed to fade. At times it seemed even they may stop, before picking up in violence and intensity. For those first few hours in the frantic rush, it was hard to decipher what exactly these echos meant. It was initially commonly though it was Death attempting to break out, and that theory still held true. For as the capital, no state, was slowly turned into a militarized state a tension remained in the air. Like the eve before a great battle, some prayed while other merely sat in quiet thought

In the war room, those of renown where gathered. Such as Abalia’s chosen, their Vandenreich friends, and whoever else was deemed of importance. Technical experts worked to maintain the defenses, while military brass seemed to direct the movement of great masses of soldiers. For at this moment, under their feet was ground zero of a potentially world ending event.

Before any proper explanations could be given, outside of a status brief, the eyes of a techie widened. In a haste the young officer nearly fell out of their seat trying to get to the holographic project.

“The intercom system has been activated! The king- I..” his voice faltered, before quickly continuing. “Something is trying to speak to us!” The young man said, beginning to safely get the system online. Eliminating any chance for interference, he would wait for the order to activate it. Once done a crackle would fill the room, as silent was felt. Static. Before finally a voice was heard, a familiar one.

A hoarse, weakened, tired, yet determined voice would greet them. A voice which at many times had eased the fears of people in the nation, whom had spoken so robustlessly and vibrant. A voice which to some whispered loving things at night, that spoke softly to it’s kids. The same voice which had made so many promises, and kept them.

“It’s.. me.”

Desmond Hayden was alive. But from the sound of his voice, hanging on by a thread.

“Don’t got much time in me. He’s a *cough* wild bastard.” The voice cracked slightly, drawn out before sighing. The sound of shifting was heard. “Do me, a favor. Put me on speaker, if i ain’t already...To the world, nation.” His voice paused as he coughed, a wet sound splattering onto something. The sound of a thud was heard.

The techie did not pause, didn't wait for instruction. In but a few moments a live stream was activated. Displayed on capital monitors, and across new stations around the world. A singular transmission
, from a dying man.

“I know, I ain’t always done the best thing. *Cough* But I like to think, I did some good.” His voice wavering, weakly. “Just, wanted, needed, to tell everyone- don’t..” Silence.

“Do the right thing. Even if it’s hard. There’s more to this damn life- then fightin. Then war. Spent four hundred- years.. a soldier. Spent two.. a man. I wish, I did more of the former..” He’d laugh weakly. A brief shine of humor from the man whom often didn’t have much. Silence followed for a long moment.

“Abalia..Liu.. I love you. Both. You, gave me, something I never thought I’d have. A family again. Wish, I could’ve taken us *cough* to disneyland- or something. Hahaha..” A wet cough followed by a splattering. A brief scuffle was heard, followed by a howl. A scream, of pain, from the lips of Hayden.

“S-sorry. He’s a bit of an ass.”

As the sound of wet movement was heard, a final thud was heard as he rested against something.

“I wish, I had more time. Cyrus. Shatari. Shadin.. Azure. I-I felt you. Wish, I could thank you- all.. but just..” His voice began to fade, a tiredness which had never before seen in him slipped through. As his voice grew quiet, he spoke.

“Henrex. Kimitsuki. Chidori.. all you young bloods. Every one of you, it’s.. in your hands. I leave the rest.. to you. Running.. out of breath.”

“Do whatever, it takes, to… keep this asshole down. Kids… I love you. Alex.. brother, take care.. of.. them..“

His voice faded. Silence followed.

1930. February 2421. Desmond Hayden time of death.

Thu Feb 11, 2021 9:23 pm

Ida wasted no time.

Stationed in the capital while her ship was harbored, she was there. She felt it. Not knowing exactly what It was, was somewhat scary, but even more concerning. To her knowledge, there was no reason for a being of that high of a power to be in Vastime, let alone the capital. Even the stronger officers were required to keep their energy to a limit as to not scare the populous. One could imagine how hectic it would be if someone like Liu were to just walk around the city with her power at its peak. Compared to the wave in which she felt, Ida was just an ant. A small, tiny, insignificant ant that should have gotten as far away as possible. Everyone else did, so why not her?

Because that's not what she signed up for, simply put. There was no use going through all that training, all those assignments, all the lectures, and all the battles to not put her skills to good use. So while everyone was walking away from the point of interest, Ida slung her guitar on her shoulder and trekked into danger, never looking back.

"Ensign Kanzuki! What the HELL do you think you're doing?"

Some voice echoed behind her, most likely one of the other officers that was merely following orders. No response was given, Ida to dead set on the problem at hand to really give much attention to the reprimand that was about to be dished out to her. What was she doing? She should just run with everybody else, there was no point in trying to stop this crisis, this was something that she is left to the capable. But to her, Ida was as capable as anyone else. In fact, if she was in charge everyone else would be walking with her, but sadly she was walking alone. Heh, that reminded her of a song.

A low hum could be heard from the Quincy as she approached the zone which was "off-limits". Her journey stopped next to a boy with pink hair, Ida refusing to make eye contact with him and just stared in the direction of the source of power. Excitement and concern ran through her boy, shaking her bones as she waited for a moment. And then she spoke, mainly to the boy but really to nobody in particular.

"There's no way, I refuse. I refuse to believe that this is what it has come to. It can't be my King, it won't be my King. There's no way the man who pledged his life to our great nation would not just become its greatest threat. The man that I looked up to, the man that I wanted to be. There's just no way, right?" A warm stream of water flowed down her cheek from her eye, quickly wiped away with a sleeve.

"What's a soldier without her commander? What's a musician without a crowd? What's a nation without its King?"

"I'm not here because I want to be, I'm here because I have to be. I swore to protect Vastime and its people, be its sword and its shield. And I'll be dead before I let it just fall apart." It's clear there were conflicting feelings in Ida, though they were all directed towards the same goal: protect Vastime and save the King. Little did she know, she already failed.

Coding by Slayer

Thu Feb 11, 2021 10:20 pm

Currently, the interaction taking place before returning back to the present reality is with Husk, which you can read about here.

“By my hand, I will remake the world.” [Event] ZnhP5aj

Saisei | Husk's Inevitable Return

'You should have known better, shouldn't you? Why, after so long, did you think coming here on a whim would do any good for those involved? There's a reason why you died in the first place. While death may mean a lot to many, you spat in its face as if it was simply a curse.'

'Tell me, Saisei. Azure Iramasha. He means very little to you yet that little head of yours cant seem to get rid of that tiny little itch that occurs every time you hear his name. Azure, itch, Azure, itch, Azure, itch. Over and over and over, you're racked with confusion and anger. Emotions you have no real way of verifying as real. Can you even prove your own existence? Hearing and seeing things is far from what you'd say a normal person experiences. Right? Right?!?!'

The void that Saisei currently resided in continued from left to right, up and down. The endless expanse meant little when one could barely stay afloat. With a single tick of his inner clock the boy was swallowed whole. The void turned into a swamp of black sludge, his lungs and throat filling to the brim. As if a scourge was cast upon the boy, the world around him began to drown in an inevitable blackness. Fingers reached down and pulled him to the surface, caressing his pale skin once more. Fighting back the sludge, Saisei spoke for what seemed like the first time in an eternity.

"What are you... W-Where am I...?"

Each word came through hoarse and pained. The constant filling of his lungs and senses with sludge kept him in a state of hypertension. Heart racing, body pulsating. Every part of Saisei's being felt as if it it began to tear apart at the very seems of reality. Yet another second passed within him, his inner clock sending him flying once more into the endless void. The sludge that once filled his very being expunged itself, returning to the nothingness around him.

'What a question, what a question. Surely you must know by now, right? Your mind aches at the mention of Azure Iramasha. You're seeing things, the people around don't necessarily even exist. You must understand by now. You find comfort in the words of those you don't even know... What kind of person can ever express such emotion and thought with no knowledge to back it up?'

'Think. Think. Think.'

The being's words were quickly snuffed out like the light that once flooded Saisei's vision. Confused, the boy began to come to his senses. The world began to phase into view as if it had never left. Instead of laying in a ditch on the side of the street, dead, Saisei found himself coming to in the Vastimian capital. Beside him, a blonde woman around what seemed to be his own age fought back an inner conflict he had little understanding of. In reality, Saisei didn't understand anything going on.

It was at that moment that the boy knew all too much about his lonely, lonely past. Desmond Hayden's voice reached out on the intercom system, gently wishing kindness and bright futures for those involved in his life. Saisei wasn't one of those people, he was far from it he thought. Despite that, the moment Desmond Hayden released the name Azure from his lips, Saisei knew.

The pain in his head, the hallucinations, all of it. While everything didn't come rushing back at a moments notice, the boy knew. Azure Iramasha wasn't just a name. It was the name of someone he knew dearly in life. Someone so closely connected to Saisei that he would never truly be able to guess. Bringing himself to his knees, gasping for air, the boy turned to the blonde girl and spoke, choking on each word.

"W-Who was that? He k-knows my name.. He knows m-me. Azure..."

Saisei spit, finally regaining his ability to breathe. Desmond Hayden had awoken something within him that no one had yet brought to the surface. At a loss for words, Saisei scurried to his feet and ran. Running as if his life depended on it, the men and women around him yelling for him to stop meant to little, if nothing at all, to him.

Rushing towards The War room, Saisei fought back tears he had know way of explaining. Tears that meant little to nothing to the him of today, finally bubbling to the surface from years past.

Desmond Hayden's final words and last breath led the boy to the entrance of The War room. Tackled without a word uttered, the men stationed directly outside brought him to his knees with little effort. As the sobbing continued, Saisei mustered his strength to finally speak the words he had never truly understood, even now.

"Who the hell is Azure Iramasha and why the hell does Desmond Hayden care about him?!"

His pained, ache filled screams echoed through the hallways. For such an important situation, many would find his words to lack any true importance. For Saisei, it was his livelihood. The man that he had previously heard of what was now static knew him and thought of him dearly. Why couldn't Saisei remember? Why couldn't he fight through the sobs that brought him to his knees?

Why was Azure Iramasha toying with this boy's mind...?

END POST | The Past Brings Eternal Solitude

Thu Feb 11, 2021 10:53 pm

PREPARE TO ENTER THE VIZARD'S POST

The world burned.

Dark power pulsed in the Kingdom of Vastime like a tumor on reality itself, nearly tearing the world asunder from its raw power and malice that only a select few could ever hope to match. The death of Desmond Hayden had upended every world, every dimension, and even the afterlife itself felt the sorrow of his fall.

There were those that rushed to the city where the great man had fallen, hoping to halt the beast he had become. Laskt Matiche, much to his chagrin, could not be among them: he was simply not strong enough to withstand the presence of the Fallen One. Instead, he took charge of his company of the Fourth Division, frantically rushing around Africa trying to avert catastrophes both natural and Hollow driven.

The Vizard floated stood quietly on the rim of a basin of one such village, staring towards the location where the living corpse of the King of Vastime stood, his last words already fallen to the crackling static of the radio. Desmond Hayden had gone to his fate more bravely than any being the Vizard had ever met, spending his last breaths not in fear but in love. The sheer tragedy of it all brought the normally stoic Shinigami to tears, tears he let roll down his face regardless of appearances. Laskt had only knew Hayden by reputation, but in this eternal moment he respected him more than any man or woman he had ever met.

Laskt wiped his eyes with a gloved hand, standing tall and proud as an example to his troops. He should have felt fear, self-doubt, and all of the other emotions that had driven for so long. By the sounds of it, Hayden had died in the way Laskt had most feared, and had lived in terror of for so very long. Yet, all he felt was sorrow, and stirring courage.

"I did not know you King of Vastime, nor your struggle. Your final words however, make me wish I had known you, known some fragment of ze man who is able to be so true to himself even as his soul fades into darkness." A deep breath then, even as the words resounded in the still air. "I do not know if I will ever possess a fragment of your courage or a glimmer of your wisdom, but if I do I will consider my life fulfilled. But for your sake.....I will live up to your memory as best as I am able."

Laskt came to sharply attention then, raising his Zanpaktou to his brow in salute. He turned then, returning to the crisis he was using his best efforts to mitigate. A final promise rested upon the knight's lips, unheard to any but him.

I will pick up ze pieces if I must, if it means I will never be zis weak again.

Fri Feb 12, 2021 12:43 am

“By my hand, I will remake the world.” [Event] Template-header

CHIFUYU YUUDESHI

The succumb to one's inner demons. A tragedy was unfolding and Chifuyu watched it be so. For her Vastime was but a giant mass of land hundreds of kilometres below her. It was a sombre thing for her to bear witness to. Could she say that she was close with the man? Not particularly.

Memories from years ago came flooding back, the ire and shaky relationship the two seemed to have after Azure's death. The way the two of them seemed to sit at each other's throats. How long had she been unwilling to accept him because she saw him as spitting on her mentor's, no her first friend's legacy and work like that. To fight so hard to lead the Vanguard only to turn himself onto a new project and create Vastime--maybe she just didn't want to admit that her purpose was irrelevant.

If Azure had chosen her to succeed him and that purpose wasn't so. Then why did he waste all that time into the girl that viewed herself more like an object of war than a person? Why did she let him waste all that time into her if at the end of the day she was so easily replaceable. Did he just like her company?

Ultimately though, Chifuyu had to admit she was wrong. A painful thing to do with one as prideful as she was. Hayden was not the evil that she viewed him as. That view had changed in her mind and maybe she grew to respect him through it. Working through Vastime and helping them harness the planet against foreign entities. They didn't just see a leader in him when she heard the people talking. He was a friend, a companion, a protector. It reminded her of Azure before he started losing pieces of himself and abruptly died.

It was much the same when she thought about it. She was powerless to do anything but watch from afar as events played out before her. No matter how smart you were there were limits on what you could do. Could she save Hayden, maybe. It wasn't her place to do it though or try. If she tried to use her Hogyoku on him then anything could go wrong.

The power she was expending to remain in the sky and just the dust of her crystalline body under all the pressure of trying to avoid being dragged down like a meteorite caused the tiny crystals to fall down. Pulling in energy from the environment like she normally used with her Soul Evolution which caused them to grow and proliferate until for the onlooker on the surface of Africa it would appear like it was snowing.

"Aria, what are you doing?"

She asked the child hovering next to her that had begged to be able to come and see her mother's home.

"Huh? I thought it'd look pretty for it to snow. You seem really sad about something going on down there and that's Africa right? So they've never seen snow before I think. If it's a really sad day for people, I think something happy should happen like flowers blooming after winter."

Aria had never the poetic seasonal things she spoke about in the flesh. If anything she was leeching on Chifuyu's own knowledge and experience of walking through the park in Karakura Central to create the image.

"Mum. Why aren't you down there? You don't visit home much since I was born. I think you should go down there. I promise I'll be a good girl and stay right here until you get back~"

The daughter floated and did a few somersaults, eyeing Chifuyu innocently while trying to coax her down to the surface. The Yuudeshi opted to remain for the moment though, she was here for a funeral not a fight.

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