[F24-PP] Nothing is Impossible

[Eruda 0]

The warmth on her skin as she gazes out to an ocean front. Eruda had not slept since that day that transpired with Morrighan. It was so easy for her to believe in something that couldn't easily be seen. Everything that has happened up to this point, with Riadou, meeting her father, her twin sister, gaining that fury courage that she finally found within herself. Taking a deep, long outdrawn breath as she holds her hand out in front of her. She would not be here without Raidou, mentally or physically. He saved her life in more ways that he could ever fathom. Allowed her to believe that her life had purpose, that it meant something more that just being a sister or a daughter. He gave her that shield that started this path that she had been longing for her entire life. Being the first one in her life to believe in her and those words she spoke, making her that off tank and making her go out of her comfort zone to say what had to be said. He knew all this time, even when she couldn't bring herself to. Raidou just kept pushing her to be the best she could and eventually she became just that in every way that was possible.

Raidou has also given her the one thing that she never thought she would ever have been possible, love. Even under extreme circumstances, he said he loves her. That meant the world to her, which was why she was determined to keep pushing him. Raidou has changed every wrong path that Eruda could have gone down. He kept her going and she would do just the same for him. That last little jaunt that she took was her own doing, simply because she did believe in fate and what Morrighan was doing. Making an army of the best warriors in Aincrad so that Fate herself, could lead them to victory, and one day get out of this game. 

Everything has been crammed in her noggin for months now. All those conversations with Raidou, him creating a better world for us to live in, him doing the right things for the right reasons. Doing what he though was the one and only way. Pushing himself half way between dark and light in doing so, figuring that it was the only way to get to the finish line. Sacrificing himself so that no one else would need to. She was beginning to understand why Raidou didn't want Eruda to walk his path. That road that he has walked has fucked him up and Eruda has seen this just a little, enough to see that pain he was in. Hiding his emotions and not wanting to get attached because he didn't want to put that same burden on Eruda. He loved her to much to do this to her, Eruda has seen that he wants it, her, but he can't bring himself to give it all to her.

Now thinking about it, maybe that is the main thing that put him where he was now. Knowing way too much and everything happening in a instant chain reaction, one after another. Eruda walking out after giving him that robe, Haine and her boo just go missing. He was made to believe that the 3 of them were gone, and Ruri... Poor Ruri... Everything just happened so fast and all at once, he had to act quickly... Walking down something dark to get to this point, and when they all returned, he felt stuck. All those past conversations between Haine and Raidou, it pained her to know just this alone. When she formed that contract with Morrighan, it cleared her mind to start thinking about all of this in a mass form without feeling overwhelmed about it. For this, she would be forever grateful. 

Eruda figured out how to give Raidou that time that he is always saying he needs, there is not enough time, he can't waste time. After that last conversation with Morrighan and the others, she knew that she had to try even harder to get Rai on board. The question was how. How do you get one to take a leap of faith when he doesn't believe... A hint of static still lingers inside of her, she could still feel that connection they had that morning, it was a reminder just like that flame... 

Sending a message to Montjoy now, he had also gone through some major changed. She was looking forward to finding out what exactly that meant.

To: Freyd/Montjoy From: Eruda I am looking forward to what you have to say, I am free now if you are. I will send you my location.

A chime of her HUD as she closes her eyes, letting that breeze flow through her, allowing her mind to finally be one with everything that she held behind.

Eruda | HP: 880/880 | EN: 100/100 | DMG: 8 | MIT: 179 | BH: 48 | LD: 2 | BRN: 56 | BRN IMMUNE | FL. AURA: 16 | FL. THRN: 8 | REC: 8 | TAUNT | THRNS: 72

Spoiler

Eruda, The Blazing Lily
Level: 31
Paragon Level: 50
HP: 880/880
EN: 100/100

Stats:
Damage: 8
Mitigation: 179
Battle Healing: 48
Loot Dice: 2
BRN: 56
BRN IMMUNE
FL. AURA: 16
FL. THRN: 8
REC: 8
TAUNT
THRNS: 72

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: Consuming Pyre - Surt T4: (Burn 2, Taunt)
Armor: Reinforced Plate - Lily T4 Demonic: Flame Aura 2, Flameproof, Recovery 1
Misc: Stalwart Defender T4 Demonic: (Thorns 2, Recovery 1, Flame Thorns 1)

Skills:
Curved Sword R5
Heavy Armor R5
Battle Healing R5
Fighting Spirit
Howl
Searching R2

Inactive Mods:
Night Vision

Addons:
Iron Skin
Focus
Rampart
Stamina

Active Extra Skills:
Block R5
Concentration
Survival

Housing Buffs:
Delicious: Turn 3 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Feast. A Feast contains 6 portions of the food items sacrificed.

Guild Hall Buffs:
Lucrative: Reduce LD needed for Salvage by 5 (10+ for Alchemist crystals, 6+ for everything else). +2 EXP per craft. Rank 9 crafters receive +1 crafting attempt per day. Rank 10 crafters receive +2 crafting attempts per day.
Col Deposit: +5% bonus col from last-hit monster kills and +10% bonus col from treasure chests.

[Freyd 0]

The grey drizzle of rain drowned out a seemingly infinite swirling maelstrom of possibilities and responsibilities, converging on the Whisper like moths to the last surviving flame.  Sitting on the ramparts of the Bastion Wall Shrine of floor nineteen, Freyd surveyed the desolate plains commonly referred to as The Forbidden Lands, beyond.  Few players came here anymore.  There were few mobs and resources, and only a handful of quests even referenced this place, let alone required interaction with it.  It was a wasteland in every sense of the word.  Only one feature made it notable.  Ki'Reion made its home and established hunting grounds in these broken lands. 

The two had clashed many times, their encounters ending badly for the lion-plant every time.  Like any other mob, it respawned over time, but this one held special significance beyond that simple and standard function.  Its very nature carried symbolic hope for this floor: a return of life obliterated by catastrophe.  The damned thing deserved a red robe, he thought to himself, or maybe a scarf or something.  The point was that it endured, despite all odds and offered hope that things could one day change and improve.

Give them hope.

That phrase had burned itself into his psyche since the day he'd sworn his oath.  Contracts of that nature were rare and perpetually binding, unless you were prepared to forever mar your own credibility.  Freyd's word meant something to him.  Therefore, it had to mean something to others, when given.  

Eruda's message was expected when it popped up on his HUD.  It was the reason he'd come here in the first place - to reflect and commit to a course of action that seemed as inevitable as Ki'reion's resurgence.  

"To all things, their due time."

The crystal cradled in his hand shattered and scenery spun and shifted from dry ashen fields to hazy and humid ocean breezes. White sandy beaches scorched his retinas from the gleaming sky above, despite the refuge offered by his ever-present cowl.

"Just like that," he said aloud, but to no one in particular.  "The world is upside down."  A hand raised to provide an extra source of shade even as his gaze drifted downward to glimpse the now-harsher face of Montjoy glaring back at him without eyes.  Change comes to all things, whether they want or are ready for it.

"Eruda."  He recognized her through the brilliance, standing proud and poised with the bearing of an angel.  Freyd could see what Raidou might be drawn to as her image shone even beyond the brilliance of this brightest of places.  How fitting that they should speak here.

"Thank you for making the time," he began, his own dark form striking the starkest of contrasts.  Is this what demons would feel like when intruding in the heavens?  What about those madmen foolishly thinking that they could plant a foot in each camp?  Men like Raidou, and himself.

"We need to talk, about Raidou, and about you."

***

Freyd | HP: 1080/1080 | EN: 142/142 | DMG: 24 | MIT: 78 | ACC: 5 | BH: 59 | LD: 5 | FLN: 16 | HLY: 16 | PARA IMMUNE | REC: 8

Full Stats:

Spoiler

Freyd, The Whisper in Shadow
Level: 32
Paragon Level: 103
HP: 1080/1080
EN: 142/142

Stats:
Damage: 24
Mitigation: 78
Accuracy: 5
Battle Healing: 59
Loot Dice: 5
FLN: 16
HLY: 16
PARA IMMUNE
REC: 8

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: Samael's Pride (T4 MA | HLY 2 | FLN 2)
Armor: Fallen Angel Garb (T4 LA | Mit 2 | Rec 2)
Misc: The Shadowed Rose (T3 Trinket - ACC 3 | Para.Imm)

Custom Skill:


Skills:
Martial Arts R5
Battle Healing R5
Light Armor R5
Searching R4
Charge
Energist
Quick Change
Extended Mod Limit

Active Mods:
Night Vision
Tracking
Meticulous
Untraceable

Inactive Mods:

Addons:
Ferocity
Precision
Resolve
Reveal
Stamina

Active Extra Skills:
Disguise
Survival
Forgotten King’s Authority
Hiding R5

Inactive Extra Skills:
Meditation
Brawler
Photosynthesize

Battle Ready Inventory:
Teleport Crystals x7
Mass HP Rec [Inst] (+30*T HP) x7
Mass HP Rec [Inst] (+30*T HP) x7
Crystal of Divine Light (Reusable) x1
Rhino's Horn (Reusable) x1
Hmr.Pk: The Thing Behind All Lies (T4 Demonic WH, AA, Blight, Static, Para.Ven (Off)) x1

Housing Buffs:
Rested: -1 energy cost for the first two expenditures of each combat
Clean: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 20% (rounded down)
Working: +2 EXP per crafting attempt
Filling: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot.
Item Stash: +1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot
Delicious: Turn 3 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Feast. A Feast contains 6 portions of the food items sacrificed.
Relaxed: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
Skylight (Searching): +1 Rank to the Searching skill.
Angler: +1 material gained when fishing
Advanced Training: +10% Exp to a thread. Limit one use per month [0/1]
Multipurpose: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll
Decor [Potted Tanabata Bamboo Tree]: This buff affects the player and their choice of up to two party members.

Guild Hall Buffs:
Lucrative: Reduce LD needed for Salvage by 5 (10+ for Alchemist crystals, 6+ for everything else). +2 EXP per craft. Rank 9 crafters receive +1 crafting attempt per day. Rank 10 crafters receive +2 crafting attempts per day.
Col Deposit: +5% bonus col from last-hit monster kills and +10% bonus col from treasure chests.

Scents of the Wild:
Kumatetsu Statue: +1 Base Damage for a thread

Wedding Ring: n/a

 

[Eruda 0]

Opening her eyes to a voice, Montjoy. A smile as she pats to sand for him to sit. "Why Raidou, you already know that he doesn't want me to know anything else." As much as it hurts that he won't tell her, she understood or she was starting too. Giving a sigh, as she closes her eyes once more to feel that breeze. Thinking about it though, if he had something that would allow her to help to get Raidou with them, "Okay I'll bite," she says pulling her hands up and patting the sand off them. She would also wonder why he would want to speak he her. As far as she was concerned, she angered Freya and Freyd that day they were investigating people. A lot has changed since then so it could be all bad right. A yawn was giving, before glancing up to Montjoy now. This is was he was calling himself now and she could see that change when he talked with Morrighan and the group. She would wonder just how far that went though. "I will let this curiosity stem just this once. Talk and I will listen..." That smile stays on her face as she shields her eyes from the sun. 

[Freyd 0]

A shimmer and flurry of shadow washed over him as his appearance shifted and changed.  Gone was his armor and signature outfit of charcoals, greys and gloomy blacks.  In their stead came a simple blue Henley and set of beige slacks paired with sandals to better deal with the beach.  His face was the same, but more at ease than she was used to seeing.  Only the glasses were new, yet seemed very familiar.  Pulling up a patch of sand by her side, Freyd plunked himself down with relaxed ease and took a moment to absorb the scenery.  His sights focused heavily on the farthest horizons of the see, as if seeking something there, like insight for the conversation to come.

"You love Raidou," he began, a strange sense of serenity in his voice.  "And I suspect that he loves you just as much.  But his commitments are... complicated."

This wasn't going to be easy.  Even under the blissful shine of a perpetual summer sun, surrounded by warmth and joy, this very topic carried its own private rain cloud around to add a damper to any conversation.

"I've seen how you two look at each other.  It's nice."  He turned to look at Eruda's face, the lines of his own softening as he spoke, revealing genuine joy and admiration.  "But what he's committed himself to requires unimaginable sacrifice."  Sadness.  The cloud returned.

"Ironic that the very woman who gave him the symbol that he now dons as banner, would be the one denied access to his heart because of it."

[Eruda 0]

That smile turns slightly down, as her eyes narrow to the horizon. "Yea I know, I was starting to get that from the last conversation that we had." Her face turns to a fresh red as she thinks about that day, that kiss, that static and fire merged together as one. What they almost did... Placing her hands against her knees, "He had said something before we parted... He said live in the world I build for you, live in the one I leave behind..." A sigh before turning to the man sitting beside her. "I have vowed to protect everyone that I know and don't, as does he. When he said that though, I knew that it wasn't in the same context." That breeze waves her hair calmly against her shoulders as they spoke. 

"That recent morning that I spent with Raidou, he was different, he was having fun and enjoying himself. He was so full of passion that he says he can't give, but Freyd. I have seen it, what he could be like and from the way that he acted that day, I feel like he wants it so bad." That emotion shown on her face, "He just can't... It's like his heart says one thing, he thinks about what he is doing and has to do and then just back down." Her eyes narrow again, but this time to the big open water. "It's almost like he just wants me to give up on him because it hurts him that he can't be all in, but I will not do that. Even if he has sentenced himself to death upon the future, I just want him to know that I will always be right there by him no matter what. He just can't see it that way or he doesn't want to..." Eruda's mind began to race with everything, trying to piece stuff together... 

[Freyd 0]

"I'm seeing the same thing," Freyd admitted, his eyes on the horizon and face a mask of speculation and concern.  "It's getting to him.  I'm seeing the cracks, and they are growing.  Raidou is at greater risk of falling to his passions than he is to his commitments, and that cannot be ignored."

Reaching down, Freyd scooped a handful of pale sand into his hand, letting the grains slip through his fingers.  It was a metaphor for a dream in danger of perishing if its architect crumbled beneath its weight.  Could Raidou reach that point?

"Human spirit is a remarkable, intangible thing.  This place makes it visible and tangible in a way we could never imagine in our former world.  You wield it in the form of faith manifest as a flaming aura.  Raidou bottles it up like some alchemical concoction and filters the pressure of its off-gassing to fuel his devotion to his ideal.  Ironically, he is both the concoction and the vessel, but I'm not sure that's sustainable."

Looking upon his shadow, Freyd wondered what that particular affinity said about himself, but dodged it as a distraction.

"Raidou needs a break, or at least some sort of outlet that takes enough pressure off his back to keep it from buckling.  Workaholics are very bad at allowing themselves such things.  I know that better than most.  The real question is what to take a break from?  Which half of his Gordian knot do we detach?  Can he even do it?  I'm honestly not sure, but I think he needs it.  You both do."

[Eruda 0]

Eruda's eyes narrow, watching that sand slip through his fingers. Like a dream that she wasn't going to allow to fade. It was more than that, and Freyd was right. They both needed a break. The fact that Freyd agreed with her came a surprise. "I think that I have been focusing on the wrong things," she admits. "I have been trying so hard to get those secrets that I know he keeps from me, and even though yes, they might help with the outcome that I am trying to get, I don't think it is they way to go about it." A deep sigh, she was starting to understand more and more about what Raidou was. That love that she has for this man, it weighs more that anything bad that Raidou could have possibly done in the past. She did not care that he had to kill to get to where he was. If put in the same position and if given no other choice, it would have been the exact same for her. -I did what I had to do- she thought. One thing amongst so much more that Raidou had mentioned. 

"I am trying to give him a break, but every time I try he keeps pulling back. The one word that comes up is time. He doesn't have the time to spend to take a break." Biting her bottom lip, thinking about that morning, about how far it would have gone if he just allowed himself that time, that break period. Eruda's eyes meet Freyd's now, she was beginning the feel like she could actually trust this man. Before it was not there, it was more of an alliance with her sister that caused something to shift. This man meant a lot to her sister and she has been told several of times that Freya trusted this man with her life. Those two men in Freya's life that would do anything for her. After what Eruda saw with Morrighan, how it effected Freyd. Maybe she should start making that leap too. 

Keeping that gaze to Freyd, "There was something that I didn't mention to you or Freya before. I said a little bit and was not sure it mattered enough to go into detail." Pulling her legs into a criss-cross position. "After recent discussions with Raidou, it feels like it could somehow be helpful, but without knowing certain things, I can't make that specific connection." Eruda's eyes moves to the sky, that heat against her face. It was nice to just sit here and relax, something that she wished Raidou could do. "Morrighan is creating an army, those souls, given us that strength. That army is us Freyd, Firm Anima, a large group of courageous hearts, ones willing to go all the way and do what has to be done. Fight until the very end," a glance to Freyd again to gage his reaction. "Morrighan wants to help get everyone out of this unjust game, as does Raidou. As a I said before, he is creating a world of peace. I just don't know how. I feel like it is connected, that there are similarities to both of them, but again, I don't know some things." There was a disturbed look on her face as her eyes narrow to the sand. "It's like I'm missing one key point, one that might just help Raidou except Morrighan and what she has to offer."

That connection, those sparks, the flames, pure energy merging with one another. Raidou and her made a real connection that morning, "Remember when I mentioned that merging dream thing to Nisa, I really think that it is somewhere that Raidou could be, to share with me without time actually passing. A break for him, to show him that there is more than just bloodshed in this world. Something that he could enjoy without thinking about everything else that needed to get done. A break." Knowing damn well how hard she has been trying with Raidou, she knew that the only way this would ever be possible was through Morrighan. Those dreams that she shared with so many, ones that felt so real. "Freyd you have to give me something, anything..." Aside from trying to convince Raidou that this was the only way, she needed him to know that he didn't need to fight this battle alone. That there was another way than just throwing himself into the pit. 

[Freyd 0]

"You've been pushing against Raidou's defenses at points where he has become so accustomed to deflecting or defending that he is no longer capable of doing otherwise.  You can't convince him that way, but there are other options."

His thumb swirled slowly against his palm as they spoke, as it if had become an hourglass, meeting out precious moments as granules of sand, each one precious in its own right.  Aincrad itself fit the same metaphor, save that the granules were people and their lives.  They would eventually run out of both.  

"Nisahime is building an army, but I seriously doubt that its members are exclusively from Firm Anima.  Her influence spreads through contact, not entirely unlike a virus, though not with the same malicious intent.  Call it a 'good' virus, for the sake of simplicity."

Eruda's comparison between Raidou and Nisa's goal was spot on.  He hadn't quite notice how similar their goals were, though their methods differed in a number of important ways.  

"Nisahime is enlisting those of sufficient will and ability to help achieve her goals and promising to empower them to choose their own fates."  A hint of skepticism still bled through, suggesting that Freyd's merger with Montjoy might have been a two-way street.  "Raidou has created two tools.  The first is a false flag that harnesses the worst elements of the player base, jailing them with illusory promises of power and security - two things every PKer craves.  Firm Anima, and everything tethered to it, are the second and the true strategem.  By controlling both, he deflects the greatest possible obstacle to his plan's success."

The last few sprinkles fell from hand, leaving two equal piles on the beach.  

"It's as bold as it is brilliant, but it forces him to play two roles at once, one of them casting him as the very worst of villains, even if heroic in its intentions.  I'd expect nothing less from our Red Wanderer.  It's also the reason that keeps him pushing you away.  You're a pure and gentle soul at heart, Eruda.  I think it's why he loves you so much.  You're all the reasons he is doing what he is, and he can't bear the thought of blemishing or tainting you in any way with his choices.  Once he committed, it became impossible for him to stop the plan."

Placing his hand against both piles of sand, Freyd took a deep breath, absorbing the sea air to remind him of the peace required to speak his next words.

Grant me strength, grandfather.

"You should know that I made a promise to Raidou.  It seems like it was a lifetime ago, now, but I stand by it.  It's seems simple thing, but its consequences ripple in time.  If Raidou were ever to fall, I would take up the red robe - the very same you made for him - and carry on what he began."

Freyd paused to let that sink in.

"That's your key, Eruda.  It's what can be used to unlock Raidou's commitment and free him from the cage he crafted for himself.  He thinks he needs to die to step away, but that has never been the case.  There's always been a backup in the shadows."

[Eruda 0]

When Freyd was explaining those tools, she could feel her chest tighten. Knowing that Raidou was in deep but not knowing how far he had gone. The Man in Red, the Red Wanderer. Eruda had only heard rumors about him... That red robe that he held against his shoulders is what started this, his heart, that first time that Eruda left amongst everyone else... Eruda did not know that it caused that much damage, but she had her suspicions. Everything happened so fast and even though it may have been a very stupid decision, it was also a very brilliant one. Raidou was doing the same thing that Morrighan was but in a much different way. He was preparing us for something more, something bigger than himself, as was Morrighan. 

That promise that Freyd had with Raidou, Freyd was right, it would set Raidou free in some regards... "As much as I appreciate the thought, I think it goes much deeper than that. Yes, it could help with that healing factor and allow him to breath." Somehow she wasn't surprised that Rai had gone in this deep.

That stuff about his father came to mind. How he treated those people in training and what was being taught. That killing blow, she has seen it in Kasumi too. That anger that Rai carried for all those years and then coming here. Watching those player killers do the exact same thing but worse. Of course he wanted to stop these people. It was something that he could control here in the game. Who knows what would of happened if he tried to undermine his father. From what he told her, it was clear that his father didn't give a damn about Raidou. It was just about what he would gain in the end and didn't care about how many people he hurt on the way.

Eruda continues to think down that rabbit hole of emotional demand. Maybe it was something that she missed, maybe something she was told and unintentionally ignored. There had to be something... Eruda would start from the beginning, dig deeper, regardless of how painful it might have been...

Freyd would see Eruda close her eyes and take a slow, deep breath, hold it before letting it out. Setting her hands on her knee's, Eruda wouldn't blame Freyd if he left before being done.

If you now stand before me, one that I assumed lost to time, then it shows that potential to those I thought gone to the cardinal creature could find reality again as well.

Only the first of many conversations held, she shakes her head a bit as she tries to piece together something that would seem impossible right now...

I was forced to become something I never imagined I would. Even still I am unconvinced that I am right for what needs to be done. But if not me, then who would?
          We want to survive this, then stick to the correct trail I've burned. We've burned into this place. No risks, be prepared, Know your enemy. I preach these, for reasons that so many fail to see

Freyd would see Eruda's eyes squint as they stay closed... She has heard this all before, she just wasn't listening... How could she be so stupid...

I'd never let such a thing control me, and I do not know its intention
          I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, for the other side of that coin to come and take it away. You. The guild. I am still worried that as before something somewhere will try to take you all away from me
We must not forget that this place is fiction, only the bonds we share are truth. The rest can be changed.
            With Haine, with Ruri, with the guild and the other captains. With you, I am happy. I just want to keep it

With Haine's help she was able to understand what happened with Haine, Kiluia and Ruri. It was something similar that happened to Freya. Eruda felt that pain, the thought of her twin being gone, dead, it was like she had lost a piece of herself. It is a feeling that she couldn't bare at the time. Eruda could only imagine what Raidou felt like when those 3 and her just vanished... Freyd would see a tear roll down Eruda's cheek...

I thought that it would save you the trouble of mourning my death, but now I am not quite so sure I die here. Before I was convinced it was inevitable, that it was impossible for me to survive this

Her chest starts to ache as she continues down memory lane...

Why destroy when you can build, why demoralize when you can encourage
             It means quite a bit knowing that you have such faith in me, but It may be misguided. I am still not so sure that I will survive this place, as such, such plans for the future are far beyond my current scope. I don't want expectations to fall  short of reality, it's less painful that way. Aim for the best, but expect the worst

It seems as though he is not expecting to get out of here alive, to see that true world again, on the other hand, it seems like he hopes he will. That world that he is building or has already accomplished, with or without him, Raidou would know that he made a difference...

 It wasn't something I thought I needed until I had it 

...

Eruda opens her eyes slowly with a few blinks and a sniffle. Remembering that day when Jubilex tried to latch on but couldn't. "I feel so stupid," Eruda says as her chest burns with emotions that she hadn't felt in a while. "He has been trying to tell me, but I just didn't understand... I couldn't understand..." A hand rises to her cheek, drying them. Getting to her feet now, Eruda starts to pace back and forth. This goes on for a while before another word was said...

Stopping abruptly, "He is scared..." a pause as she recaps everything into words that would be understood. "When Haine, Kil, Ruri, when I vanished with no words for years, he deemed us dead. It was also around the same time the Firm Anima was being created." Eruda began to pace in the sand again as she spoke. "It had to be also around the same time that he started doing all that other stuff that made him think he became a monster. Also, when the Red Wanderer rumor started or at least within that time frame we were gone." A hand goes to her head, thoughts racing almost too fast to keep up with. "When we showed back up that armor, that shield that he created was already formed and hard set." Brushing that hand through her hair releasing that pony as that blonde mess scapes over her cheeks. "Raidou has accepted death through pure protection, almost expecting us and Firm Anime to be taken right under his feet again." Taking a deep breath as her chest tightens. "I do not blame him for feeling that way. When I thought I lost Freya, Freyd it was the worst thing in the world." 

Sitting back down next to Freyd with a sigh, "Raidou was too far down that rabbit hole to just go back or even come back." Another tear, she was so stupid, she wasn't hearing what was being said before... "That path he walks is a security method, to ensure that everything, everyone, stays where they should be and not on that Monument." She began to believe it was her fault that he carved this path. If she just would have stayed, dealt with those feeling instead of running. Would Raidou still be where he was at if she just stayed all those years ago. "We just need to convince him that dying is not his only option," Eruda says this through tears, her heart ached with that pain. Letting her feet dangle of the edge of this cliff side trying her best to stay calm. It was very hard though... Staring out into the deep blue sea before them. Did she really do this...

[Freyd 0]

Freyd sat in the sand as Eruda sank into the mire of myth and memories.  He knew that face, the distant gaze drawn beyond the boundaries of the horizon.  She was elsewhere, deep within herself and recollections of the past.  It was a practiced state, for him, familiar and foreboding.  One does not casually glance into the mirror of one's soul without risking consequence.  Or, as it turns out, into Simmone's.  Grabbing a nearby stick, sun-bleached and stripped bare of bark by washing of the tides, he felt the presence of serenity surround him.  It was like fishing with his grandfather again.  Eruda's features flinched.  Her eyes grew wide from repeated slaps by the hand of epiphany.  Few things were so jarring as to have your mind blown a dozen times in quick succession, especially by facts you've always known but never realized you knew.

Taking the stick in hand, while he waited for the process to fulfill itself, Freyd drew a series of seemingly random dots upon the sand.  There was no apparent pattern.  Each dot looked different than the rest.  No lines or vectors suggested an approach for how they might relate.  It was as if he was depicting the pure randomness of thought; abstract and unfathomable.  But, if the lines connecting these points were not straight, and willed to curve as directed by the observer, then an image began to take shape.  Every stroke added clarity.  Every graceful sweep of the hand revealed a little more of the mystery, until the picture was complete.  And then the words started spilling out.

 "I feel so stupid."

The simplest of smiles spread across his face, blemished by eyes filled with sadness for what all of this must be doing to her.  Equal measures of regret were reserved for Raidou - the broken boy who'd become the architect of salvation for a world at the cost of consignment to his sacrifice.  Just as he had with the stick in the sand, Eruda had connected the dots in her own way.  Somehow the image turned out the same, but formed with words, feeling and born from pain.

"I know," was Freyd's only reply, at first.  He might have lacked some of the pieces she had collected along the way, as she might be missing some of his, but the resulting destiny was clear as the sun shining brilliantly over their heads.  Enough had been gleaned to call for this meeting and nudge events a little farther down the path.  It was time to take them off the rails.

"He can't accept a vision other than the one governed by the absolutes he has defined for himself.  He's drawn a box and placed himself inside, unwilling and unable to consider what lays beyond.  It took that debacle in the raid for me to realize that I was falling into the same trap, plus also our meeting with Morrighan in its wake.  Sometimes, when the need is great enough and the conditions are right, the inevitable gives way to the unthinkable, and the impossible can happen.  In my experience, such moments are not so much about changing fate as they are retooling our perspectives and acknowledging that every decision we ever make is based on imperfect information." Hanging his head, Freyd knew that confronting the nature of one's beliefs was the greatest of all challenges.

"Raidou cannot allow himself to love, because he is afraid that it will lead to more pain - the pain outside that box.  But only love will cure him and it requires the contrast and risk of pain and loss in order to exist.  It's a nasty contradiction.  Separately, neither one of us can hope to change his mind because we each represent a different facet of that box.  But, if we speak with him together, I believe that we might actually have a chance to change the unchangeable, and break him free."

[Eruda 0]

Without looking at Freyd while he spoke, but hearing every word. "I think you might be right," saying almost plainly. If Eruda did cause this path to form, she would correct it. It was the least that she could do. Eruda shakes her head, gets to her feet, and begins to pace again. Opening her HUD and looking to Raidou's name, a pause... Closing her HUD, more pacing. It was clear that she was a bit nervous. The way things ended last time was not ideal and that message that Raidou got less than an hour later from Eruda. Even after she was told not to proceed with Morrighan, she jumped in after Sam. Raidou and Eruda have not spoken since then and it had been a week. "Shit" saying as those footfalls stop. Closing her eyes and taking a large inhale. This had to be done, she had to do this, they needed to do this. Would Raidou even what to talk to her after that... -NO I HAVE COME TO FAR TO THINK LIKE THIS. SENT THE DAM MESSAGE-...

Eruda opens that HUD back up and taps on Raidou name. Sending the location that she stood with a small message, please come, I don't like how things ended last time.

With a chime the message was sent. The moment she saw Raidou, Eruda will pull him into a hug. -Please come Raidou- she thinks as her eyes narrow a bit. "I sent him a message and location. I can only hope that he comes..." Eruda would say to Freyd.

[Raidou 1]

The rumbling of a large beast exploding in a wave of smoke, the slow slide of a blade into its scabbard as his robe flailed about violently. The midafternoon sun held high upon the steps of Athenia casting a glare, the rolling hills of red stone worked to paint a picture. In the distance, howls and growls of various lions, a bit aggressively fondling over prey. Removing his lenses and polishing them on his sleeve, and returning them to his brow. The gravel crunches as his feet start to move, winding out in a combing circle aiming for the horizon. To others, it would seem aimless, without reason. But that was simply not true, and although he would allow them the lie they made up, it was easier than the truth.

Legs carry him with every step, moving toward the mountain of gods who oversaw this massive field. Upon gilded thrones, they did nothing to aid others. Sat upon that gold with no intention of lifting their fingers. A bit of scowl as he turns his gaze away, following out along its broken faces. Sliding his hand across that rough stone, using it for support. The mouth gives way, the wall crumbling under his touch. Falling inward, his vision turning black. The rattle of a pair of glasses, and as he raises a cold like ice on his hands. Propping himself up and peering out into this newfound expanse, as he'd reach down he pulls up a pair of lenses. Bent to all hell, he squints and removes the pillar fragment.

Light fills this interior, and shows it wider than assumed. Casting the rays on the walls, blooms of the strangest variety around his feet. His mind begins to slip, and he shakes it angrily. His anchor gone, and the ripple was on the rise. Raidou needed his lenses. But he'd see this through first. The splashing beneath his feet, finding purchase in that stream and getting stuck in the fringes of his red robe. A panel with vines casting it in obscurity, ripping down some leaves to see beneath.

A mural?

As he ushers the pillar fragment closer, it reveals his own face in a shock. "What the?" a message interrupts. Confused beyond belief, he stares at himself while opening it up. "Eruda." He remarks with a soft escape from his lungs. He takes one more glance at that monument to something, seeing more and more of his own guild upon its surface. What was this place?

A flash of blue light, and an intention to return. It could wait, couldn't it? 

A beachfront, the soft patter of sand as his feet find solidarity. Immediately, a warmth as the girl shoved her head into his chest. "I don't understand." and his eyes move down to her scalp, before realizing that the whisper was here as well. Something was amiss, as the rolling waves of water provided the only real white noise.

Spoiler

Raidou, The Lost
Level: 32
Paragon Level: 89
HP: 980/980
EN: 116/116

Stats:
Damage: 23
Mitigation: 69
Evasion: 3
Accuracy: 4
Battle Healing: 53
Loot Dice: 9
AA
V.D.: 107

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: Auric Sunlight - Finality of Faith [T4/Demonic/2HSS] +3 Damage, AA
Armor: Red Wanderer's Resolve - Sympathy [T1/Demonic/Cloth] 2 Evasion, 2 Vampiric Defensive
Misc: Vision of Wisdom - Whisper [T4/Demonic/Trinket] Evasion 1, Recovery 2, Accuracy 1

Skills:
Straight Sword R5
Cloth Armor R5
Battle Healing R5
Howl
Searching R5
Fighting Spirit

Active Mods:
Detect
Athletics
Vengeful Riposte
Tracking
Justified Riposte

Addons:
Nimble
Ferocity
Precision
Focused Howl
Stamina
Reveal

Active Extra Skills:
Parry
Survival
Forgotten King’s Authority
Concentration

Battle Ready Inventory:
Pillar Fragment
Ruri's Tear

Housing Buffs:
Well Rested: -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat
Squeaky Clean: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down)
Hard Working: +2 EXP per crafting attempt and +1 crafting attempt per day
Filling: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot.
Item Stash: +1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot
Delicious: Turn 3 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Feast. A Feast contains 6 portions of the food items sacrificed.
Relaxed: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
Col Stash: +5% bonus col from monster kills and treasure chests
Advanced Training: +10% Exp to a thread. Limit one use per month [0/1]
Multipurpose: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll
Decor []: This buff affects the player and their choice of up to two party members.

Guild Hall Buffs:
Lucrative: Reduce LD needed for Salvage by 5 (10+ for Alchemist crystals, 6+ for everything else). +2 EXP per craft. Rank 9 crafters receive +1 crafting attempt per day. Rank 10 crafters receive +2 crafting attempts per day.
Col Deposit: +5% bonus col from last-hit monster kills and +10% bonus col from treasure chests.

Scents of the Wild:
Tanos Statue: +25 Mitigation for a thread.

 

[Freyd 0]

"Thanks for coming."  It was an oddly serious statement from a man standing in an outfit unlike any Raidou had ever seen him wear, yet the tone and expression on his face were 100% pure Freyd.

"I wish there was a better lead in to all of this, but it's all so complicated and convoluted that even I don't really know where to start."

A hint of sadness in his eyes as his gaze drifted down to where Eruda had nestled against the man she loved.  If there were consequences to this conversation, he resolved to take the blame.

"The trail of the white-haired woman we spoke about not long ago."  It seemed prudent to leave out the involvement of the others, for now, lest they distract from where attention must be focused.  "It lead to a place that shouldn't exist, revealing things that shouldn't be, and conclusions that hint at beginnings dating long ago and yet to come."  A hand waved away the predictable queries.  "It's too much a paradox to even try to explain with words, but I can do better.  It turns out that I have a key."  Holding up his hands, he displayed Samael's Pride, transformed again into twin ribbons of void-like substance, given form by the same holy seals that once contained it as a blade, then later as a staff.  Raidou would have seen it in this shape during that mess over Ladonia.

"Nisahime, or Morrighan, exists in a special pocket of space and time; and I can get us in. It's not a raid, if that's what you're thinking, though my mind went there too, at first.  And while I can't say with certainty what she actually is, I am convinced that Eruda's faith is not misplaced.  It's taken some effort for both of us to puzzle it all out.  You know I shared your concerns about her potential as a threat.  I've done my due diligence, and believe that a proper conversation is in order to set things straight and make a final assessment.  But words are not sufficient.  This one has to be witnessed and experienced to be believed."

Placing his hand over his heart, something stirred beneath and slunk down his leg as a puddle of inky dark.  Familiar blue eyes opened, displaying Persi's horizontal slotted irises.  Spreading outward once she reached the ground, he shadow body spread until all three of them stood in a circle of pure nothingness, denying the grandeur of the summer sun gleaming overhead.  Reaching down, Freyd touched his fingertips to the void.  Instantly, the world spun and twisted in upon itself.  It was akin to the sensations of the teleportation portals linking all the floors of Aincrad, and yet different; more like stepping through the looking glass by flipping to the opposite face of a perfectly still mountain lake.  Images of the Lake of Reflection clad in the starry night's sky immediately came to mind.  When the vertigo cleared, they found themselves before a massive tree wreathed in pink and purple petals that swirled and drifted slowly in the silent breeze.  Where Freyd had stood, a similar figured now casually glanced back at them, thin wireframe glasses framing a pale, angular face that seemed familiar in its features albeit lacking the same harsh intensity as the Whisper often did.  He offered a strangely comforting smile, even while stuffing his hands into the pockets of his khaki slacks.  Dress shoes clashing against expectations of normalcy.  Takeshi pointed at the figure nestled against his friend's chest.  This was a moment he didn't dare miss.

[Eruda 0]

Those arms wrap tightly around the man while Freyd spoke. Eruda wouldn't give him the change to run away, not this time. A tear slips down her cheek, she couldn't say anything yet. Eruda just wanted Raidou to know she was there, sometimes actions spoke louder than words. This world starts to spin and twirl, Eruda just closes her eyes. 

Arriving at a familiar place, she could see that light through her shut eyes. Even though she was not aware that they were coming back here, it was a good idea. A relaxing place that felt realer than anything they have ever felt in this game. It was actually refreshing. Eruda could feel a weight though... Opening her eyes, she was holding a mini Raidou. Eruda couldn't help but smile, he was so cute... This was no time though. Setting Raidou softly on the ground, the soft padded grass beneath their feet. Getting down on her knees now to become the same height at Raidou. Holding his tiny hands in hers. "I hear you Raidou, but I was not listening." It pains her to admit but it was true. "It took me some time, for that I am truly sorry." Sincerity in her eyes as they water a bit. "I will not stand here and watch you fade away like you expect us to do. You matter too Raidou, just as much as everyone else we know and love." Holding those hands in hers, giving them a squeeze. "There is another path to take then the road you walk, you just need to want it enough to try. I am not going anywhere, we are not going anywhere Raidou." Eruda with a tear against her cheek gazing into the tiny familiar eyes. "Please let us help you..."   

[Raidou 1]

Finding himself torn into this place, his companions bringing him here. What is revealed is not a man but a boy, a robe gone and with it a pair of glasses. Nothing more than a boy, easily only 8 years old. A stalwart look on his face, as he turned to face a large spire of petals cascading down like snow. "It's ok." The voice was small, and clearly young. The soft patter of tiny feet, looking at this tree as if it would tell some tale. "I didn't know how to say it, I didn't know how to change it either. I'm sorry I caused both of you so much trouble." Troubled eyes strain against the brightness, as if dreary from being asleep for so long.

Turning to face Freyd, sporting the image of a child. "Where is she?" as he scanned this place with a curious and yet tempered intensity. It was clear beneath this was still Raidou. Whatever this was, clearly was only superficial. Struggling to understand, for this place was unfathomable. An attempt to use a skill sees it not fire, trying to track it or search for it yielded nothing as a response. "It appears that she is always so troublesome, if she'd slip you, Freyd. Nothing ever slips by you easily." Notably, that last bit would seem almost off, friendly.

A few more steps, and eventually hits him. "Why do I feel shorter?"

[Freyd 0]

"It's a perspective thing," Freyd replied, patting Raidou lightly on the head to make him realize that his for had shifted and identity was revealed.  "And this explains a lot."  A beaming smile broke across the man's face even as his eyes concealed a pang of something that he managed to swallow down deep.  His friend's appearance hit Freyd in a rare, vulnerable place: he'd always had a soft spot for the suffering of children.  To learn that Raidou was so young and yet had willfully undertaken action of such magnitude nearly broke his fledgling heart.  No wonder there was such kinship between them.  They were both nothing but broken little boys inside.

"Many things slip by me," he admitted with a whisper, his jaw clenching as he struggled against the surge of emotion.  Suddenly he wished he had clued in sooner, and taken Raidou's burden on from the start.  Shame overwhelmed him. He'd been too much a coward and hid behind his fears.  It was always about fears, wasn't it?"  Freyd caught Eruda's eyes.  What must she be feeling right now?  Would this help or harm?  Maybe both.  He turned his face away and towards the tree.

"Morrighan," he called out, refusing to address her by her other name.  "Your messenger calls.  This one needs a word with his mother, and a hefty dose of closure."

Turning back to Raidou, a gentle tear ran down Freyd face, a mixture of fierce sorrow and admiration blended into one.

"Goodness knows, he's earned it."

[Eruda 0]

"Yea" she says to Freyd while watching tiny Raidou wonder a bit. Eruda knew that it had to of started at a young age given the conversation about his father, but she didn't know just how young until now. Raidou couldn't be more than 10 in this image. Eruda didn't know how to feel right now. The fact that what she did wasn't the cause gave her a little relief, but then the fact that she added to it. Her heart ached at the feeling. No matter, she would stay by his side regardless. Raidou being in this form did not make her love him any less. If anything the scales were pushed forward. 

Freyd mentions Raidou's mother and Eruda's heart sunk. If Raidou's mother was within Morrighan, she knew exactly what that meant. Thoughts went straight to -what the hell did his father do...- This was all under assumption, but it was something that she couldn't help thinking. Hearing Freyd call out for Morrighan, she stays kneeled on the grass. Her eyes would not leave Raidou's sight... Another tear falls down her cheek...  

[Nisahime 0]

Rounding the base of that tree, dragging a slender hand across the bark. A woman with white hair, with a composed stare as she stared into the face of the boy in her domain. On the messenger's call, she'd look at this child almost with curiosity and interest. After all, for so long she spoke, and he could not hear her.

"This might be easier at first, belief comes to those that can see. I would ask what you see, child?" That same snapping of brush, gently bending as she moved more into plain view. Basking in the glow and although the colors would seem off from memory, the face was undeniable. "I could offer you a lie, attempt to give you some false sense of security. But you have always known the truth deep down, you knew what to expect. It has been eating away at you for quite some time."

A single strand of moisture bleeds down her right cheek, and it was the oddest sensation. Lifting a hand and tapping into the tear, the fallen was grieving, and yet it wasn't sadness. "It would appear that Kirin has something to say to you, boy."

***************************************************************************************************************

A few steps forward and one would see the look she was giving the boy soften, but her appearance doesn't change. This was the look that those in Aincrad were used to seeing her when she appeared, and yet it meant nothing to them. The white haired woman, always the enigma and was unanimous with 'Nisahime'. The untouched princess, and yet. To Raidou, it meant so much more.

Taking to one knee in the grass, staring at him plainly with this stoic deadpan. "My little lightning bolt, look how much you've grown." Immediately, the visage drops, and is braced with tears and a smile. As if some switch had been flipped, and she seemed like an entirely different person. "I cannot believe how much of a man you've become. The world you've built with your own two hands." and she looks past Raidou's shoulder, would reveal a pair of vibrant blue eyes to Eruda and Freyd. "You have found friends that will stand by you and live with you in it. Lead you and stick by you through it all." Leaning in and drinking in his appearance, a mix of sadness and pride for her son.

The almost torn twinned version, and yet it remained happy, a choke in her voice. "I have faith in them, do you?"

Turning on his heel, and staring back at them. "I do, I believe in them. I always have."

"Good, that's my Raidou. I have to go now, but you keep them safe. Continue to believe in them, and let them have faith in you." Without warning, he reaches forward. "Mom, I never got to say it, but thank you for showing me a different way. For teaching me that there is always more to learn. That nothing is impossible." Kirin smiles, and rakes her hand through his hair with a scruff. In the blink of an eye, that woman was gone, and replacing her was that same black haired woman. Morrighan, silver eyes ablaze.

"The journey isn't over, wanderer, and it won't be for some time to come. Fate isn't as absolute as you believe it to be, and yet you do not believe in fate. Both are untrue, let me show you the way. You could not hear me, nor could you defy fate. But, as it would seem, my messengers." Her vision twists past the boy at the base of this giant tree. "Have changed your fate for you." Raising her arms, the boy rushes into them. They round that tree, and a question of where the hell they could be going becomes an issue.

But once they pass just out of sight, after a single circle. A man, not a boy emerges.

Spoiler

Kirin, Wisdom
Level: 32
Paragon Level: 6
HP: 660/660
EN: 84/84

Stats:
Damage: 1

Equipped Gear:
Weapon:
Armor:
Misc:

Custom Skill:


Skills:

Active Mods:

Inactive Mods:

Addons:

Active Extra Skills:
Concentration

Housing Buffs:
Advanced Training: +10% Exp to a thread. Limit one use per month [1/1]

 

[Eruda 0]

Eruda would get to her feet, tears uncontrollable. The woman that stood did not change form, but that switch was remarkable. Those words... Eruda could not even express what she was feeling just that it was a lot. Those blue eyes look to Eruda and her face gets flustered. After a few more words, Raidou looks back, Eruda bites her bottom lip softly. Repeating in her head after it was said -Nothing is Impossible- a single step forward. A glance toward Montjoy, it seemed he felt the same way Eruda was at the moment. Looking back to Raidou as his mother vanishes and Nisa's words come out. They changed his Fate for him... Eruda's heart sinks, did they actually do it. As they walk around that tree, coming back into view, Raidou was no longer a boy, but the man that she had seen only a few times before. Those tears were still washing down her face, but it was happiness that she felt. 

Another step forward and an out reached hand toward Raidou. A soft smile toward Nisa that move to Raidou. Eruda was still unsure how this was really going to change things, how he was going to react. It was a chance that she was willing to take though. Fate always finds a way...

[Raidou 1]

Releasing his mother's hand, clad in a plain school uniform. His glasses still missing, but it was obvious who he was. "I've got to go to. Keep on watching me. The world is ours to change." He mutters under his breath, the soft smile and the crunching grass. To the cry of every falling footstep, the sound of a droplet hitting a pool of water glances his ear drums. Floors blur past in an instant, as he starts to pick up speed. Faces stare back at him with smiles as he passes through a sea of faces, ones that were lost and yet never forgotten. Raidou's focus ever forward, and with it a smile that reciprocated the ones they wore. Blurred visages of backgrounds, roads and environments all leading to but a single solitary moment.

Slamming into the girl with a surprising amount of force, hands around her waist and lifting her up. Dragging his face against hers, akin to an animal trying to get closer. "It took me so long, but I believe that this road always lead back to you. It was so hard to see it, I wasn't allowed to believe it." As he stared into her eyes with his own, something new and yet old. A clarity without the lenses, a feeling of being and of truth. "I loved you Eruda, I always have, and I always will. I was afraid to admit it to myself." Nursing her forehead with his own.

That mix of regret, of longing and depravity. His heart held on his sleeve, but in a cage. For fear of its damage, for becoming too attached to a place he couldn't exist. "If I did, then I would have ended up hurting you, that is what I thought was true." Reaching out his hand, the smallest glimmer in his palm. Like a speck of a star, that crackles for but a brief instant. "I would have given you my world. The guild, my friends. I would have given you everything I had." A wide and soft grin as he nestles his head against hers and wipes her tears. "Eruda, I can't live without you. I wasn't living without you." The recount was almost excitable, as if a whole wave of pent-up and boxed feeling had been released. It was almost confused and yet eager.

"Please share your world with me." Grabbing her hand with his, a sudden nervousness with that joy. Pressing his hand in hers, a spark flares.