FINAL FANTASY
Darkness Descends
If only it were so simple,
to cruise through life smelling roses;
but the obstacles blacken the countryside,
and we unwittingly crush them beneath our boots.
Dreams sustain us through the madness;
goals give a finish line to our race.
Yet they change with every turn, around every wall,
and remain elusive throughout the quest.
Mistakes are made, and regrets are our luggage;
we will drag them with us to slow us down.
The victories are flashes of light, sudden and unlasting, which allow us
to glimpse the road ahead before darkness descends.
Love is bitter, yet it is the bread that keeps us.
Over and over it fills us up, only to starve us.
The people whom we love shape our destinies and our strengths,
yet leave us cold and alone in the darkness.
There are others trying to race to the end;
occasionally, we bump into one or two.
The bonds we form help us down the path less lonely
but eventually, we lose each other in the darkness.
Alone is not a bad way to be;
it clears your head and focuses you on the journey.
Cherish the short intervals during the quest you have with others,
but be prepared to walk alone in the darkness.
Long ago, it was said that a Summoner by the name of Yuna banished the creature Sin from this world. The Calm came then; one that was said to be everlasting. Though it only lasted for three years, in reality; until the now High-Summoner Yuna was forced to come to Spira’s rescue once more. But this time, from an undead threat that had long been tormented. It was then that the continent known as Spira and all its people began to get along. Governments formed alliances, and the everlasting Calm did exactly what it was meant to do.
Last seemingly forever.
It has been four hundred long years since Yuna and her Guardians saved our world for a second time. We have continued to live in peace with each other. Every uprising has been peacefully subsided, each near outbreak of war avoided and put to rest. Temples of the ancient Yevonites crumble as we become more advanced, and forget the old ways. It has taken us four hundred years to completely forget the horrors that Sin and the undead Shuyin once brought upon us.
We live on a planet named Gaia, though this is not often mentioned. It is not strange that our continent, though it is vast and supreme, isn’t the only one on our fair Gaia. Across the sea there lies another. Like us, they have been forged into a vast alliance. Ivalice is what they call their lands. Aggressive would be a kind way of expressing their leader’s personality. He sees us only as a nuisance; and honestly, we think of him and his followers as the same.
His name is Vayne Solidor, the Emperor of Ivalice, a continent about the same size as ours. Though he and our leader, the High Maestress Yunalesca (named after the first summoner to defeat Sin) have agreed on peace, everyone can feel the tension. Our warships patrol our borders constantly, and it is even rumoured that war machina have been produced.
I am a firm believer that war has merely been suspended by this treaty, not avoided.
Oh, do forgive my rudeness. My name is Maechen, and I am a scholar. For a very long time, I have recorded the history of Spira both on paper, in spheres, and in my mind. Although at this moment in time, I am not in Spira, and nor am I in Ivalice.
I am on a newly discovered continent that has no real name, for both the Emperor and the High Maestress discovered it at the same time. Both myself, and the settlers from both sides have found this place to have a different feel to it. Magicks of all varieties are here; entwining themselves around each other and those who have newly arrived. At points, the feeling is grand, and powerful. Something to be admired and respected. While other times, in other areas, particularly around the coastal mountains and central forest, it feels horrid and evil.
I fear the darker feeling has been spreading. The creatures all around have become violent, and the mortality rate is rising. People have become aggressive, especially the leaders. Both on the island, and off…
Darkness is descending upon us… I can only hope that High-Summoner Yuna hears my prayers for peace. Before it is too late.
~Maechen
Maechen died two days later in a night raid believed to be carried out by the Ivalice Empire. Emperor Solidor denied any responsibility for the act. That afternoon, the High-Maestress met with the Emperor. It was there that Spiran friendly forces (including the Maestress) were attacked, leaving the Empire relatively unharmed in the action. The war that had been avoided for four hundred years had begun.
As the Warship Auron escaped the Ivalice capital of Archades, the massive and powerful 7th fleet of the Empire made a swift and crippling attack on the New Home City, situated on Bikinel island.
Bevelle, the rival capital of Archades, revealed its new weapons about a week later. Long-ranged missile-Machina were unleashed, flattening the fortress and metropolis of Nalbina. It was believed that Emperor Solidor’s child was visiting Nalbina at the time, prompting this horrendous attack.
Now the war turns to the un-named continent. Rich with resources that could ultimately decide who wins this tragic war, the settlers of this place nervously wait as the horizon becomes thick with the shadows of airships.
DARKNESS DESCENDS
Name: Selene Raminas
Age: 22
Race: Human
Gender: Female
Origin: Ivalice
Appearance: Selene is a rather attractive girl. Her body is slender and built for agility, to complete the ideal bodily look her skin is pale, but a beautiful moonlight pale, without so much as a scratch on it. Her hair is a light blond colour, long, and cut nicely to frame her face while the rest if tied into a loose ponytail with a deep blue ribbon (basically layered). Her eyes are a deep, mystical blue colour that tends to sparkle when she's intrigued or happy. She stands about 5'6'' (so added on >.>).
She wears a dark burgundy tank top with a turtleneck collar with a silver zipper running down the middle. It is always done completely up, and is overlapped with a mainly black vest that appears to be made out of leather. It too, has no sleeves, with a high collar and a v-neck design revealing more of her lovely sweater-ish tank top. The collar that flips over long the lower part of the v-neck is leather-brown, along with the complete inside of the jacket, and the two semi-large pockets with silver zippers. She also wears semi-tight shorts that are relatively... short. Tied around her left thigh is a black leather holster that holds Calypso. Her boots are black, with silver buckles and black straps that come up three quarters on her lower-leg. She has a deep blue cape thrown over her shoulder that bares the Ivalice Crest (Two light-blue meteors like objects twirling around each other until the heads touch just barely at the top), the cape is also clipped on by a brown piece of leather.
All around, Selene is a fairly attractive woman who usually has a slightly curious and confident expression on her face.
Personality: Selene, though she doesn't know it, has two dominant traits from her mother and father. From her mother, is an unwillingness back down, and accept an outcome that doesn't fit her liking; which can also be called stubborn. The trait she inherited from her father is a little less direct. It's the ability to manipulate, be secretive and lie. Selene inherited the dark trait of selfishness. Though she won't openly flaunt it around, as she hides it behind a selfless, positive (yet stubborn) attitude, usually she's looking out for herself.
Weapon Style: Ivalice
Weapon Type: Firearm (Pistol Design)
Weapon: Calypso is a silver coloured pistol with an elongated muzzle. Engraved in blue on the sides is an elegant picture of waves with a demonic looking sea-serpent leaping out and wrapping itself around the beige handle.
History: Preferring to keep her history to herself, Selene states that she’s from Rabanastre, the capital city of Dalmasca. The city itself is dizzyingly large, with buildings that tower over the inhabitants. Selene will talk about how the Seeq, and most of the Bangaa were locked down in the lower city, a show of racism enforced not only be the horrid Imperial guards that line every pathway and door, but by the government itself. Though it bothers her a bit, the Archadian way has rubbed off on the Dalmascan, the sight of another race locked below with little food and clean water really fails to get at her anymore. She wishes to change it, but knows she’ll fail.
She was also at Nalbina three days before the Spiran missile strike. She remembers seeing the smaller 9th fleet of Archadia docked there while they loaded up on supplies. This all more of her recent history, but she loved Nalbina and its culture. Hearing that it had been destroyed makes her boil at the thought of Spira winning this war.
Other: She has deadly accuracy with her gun.
Dear Father,
It has been hard to get word out ever since the destruction of Nalbina Fortress, and I am deeply sorry for that. I wanted to let you know I was alright, and that Seta is alive as well.
Currently we’re on The Silver Zephyr over the unknown continent; I know you warned me never to come to this place… But my curiosity gets the better of me sometimes and I just need to know what’s here. If it’s any consolation, the only Spiran airship we saw quickly left, having minuscule firepower compared to its Ivalican rivals.
Don’t worry father, I can take care of myself and Seta is here to protect me if worse comes to worse.
~ Selene
Selene looked up from the letter with a slight frown. There wasn’t else much to say, nothing that could be conveyed through a letter anyways. A heavy sigh escaped her lips as she put the quill down and rested her head in her hands. The woman just wanted to go home, was that really to much to ask? At least home was the next stop, and than she would vow never to leave Ivalice ever again, let alone Archades.
Music from a recording floated into her ears than, she had forgotten she had left it on. It was soothing, calming if a little dark and saddening. Better than no sound at all, that was for sure. Selene stretched, groaning a little as she brought her arms back down and brushed her blond hair from her face.
The woman stood then, turning to scan her room for an enemy that wasn’t there. Ever since this war began everyone’s constant warnings had gotten her a little on edge. At least they would be a little more interesting than nothing at all. Selene took for its holster her pistol and spun it on her finger for a minute as she paced around the room. Eyeing the letter every now and than.
I wonder if he’s worried about me… She mused, stepping towards the desk and scooping up the letter. The parchment was tan, and the link a deep green (almost emerald) instead of the normal black. Selene had always loved the way the emerald green shone in the light while the black just glinted. He’s probably trying to convince mother I’m fine. She always loved to worry and blow things completely out of proportion…
As the dark melody switched to one considerably lighter, there was a dock at the door. Selene blinked, slipping the letter into her pocket and putting her gun away.
“Come in.”
Entering the room was a Viera, a very tall individual Selene smiled a little as he appeared, looking quite disciplined and rigid.
“Seta; right on time.” She smirked, moving the ink and quill so she could lean against the table. He nodded to her respectfully before closing the door. “Tell me, is there some sort of catastrophe we could avert for the captain and his crew?”
He shook his head. “No Miss.”
“Damn it…” Selene cursed under her breathe before looking back at Seta. “Come to guard me against the shadows?”
He blinked, having hear d familiar comments before, he didn’t reply until a moment later. “No Miss.”
“I’m sure you’ll be awarded some sort of medal for ‘greatest conversationalist Seta.” She rolled her eyes.
That was when the lights all over the ship began to flicker. Selene’s expression lit up as this happened, and looked at Seta in a devious manner. It was reason enough to leave the room, and that made the woman extremely happy. She smiled to her bodyguard and headed for the door.
“Come Seta!”
“Yes Miss.”
They were heading for the lift when something very strange happened. The main lighting in the hall shut off, and the red glow of the back-up system was all that illuminated the hallway. Selene figured it was only a malfunction of the system when the yellow warning lights flicked on; they were on a separate system, so she supposed that made sense. But Selene had a gut wrenching feeling something horrible was about to happen, especially when guards push past them.
“Seta…” Selene gulped, turning fully around. “I think we should stay in the dorm-“
The entire ship began to shake, and suddenly the hallway was no longer level, but a very steep, very smooth incline. Both she and her Viera friend stood there for a long second before sprinting up the hallway as fast as they could. It was ten times harder than Selene had originally given it credit for, the incline continued to grow almost becoming a sheer drop.
Seta leapt for a side hall, as did the human. But she wasn’t quite as athletic as her companion and missed. Selene felt her free fall come to a sudden halt as the Viera’s grip tightened around her forearm.
People and things were beginning to tumble down the hall now, and the shaking had turned into something that rivalled an earthquake. The airship groaned, which echoed through each and every hallway it could before it was drowned out by people’s screams.
And there, heading for the back of her bodyguard, was a table. Selene reacted the only way she could, with her free head she grabbed her gun and aimed. The shot loud only for a millisecond before the groan of the Silver Zephyr overwhelmed it. The table however, burst into splints that fell harmless around either of them.
“Thank you Miss.”
“No problem,” Selene smirked as Seta began to pull her up.
That is, until a random object hit Seta on the back and his grip loosened. The earthquake that had erupted in the ship seemed to hit its worst point, and the loosened grip became no grip at all as Selene’s body slammed into the corridor wall and her hand let go.
Free-falling, not something Selene Raminas had done for quite a while. She wasn’t quite sure if fear had crossed her face, but she was glad about one thing.
She wouldn’t see the end coming.
* * *
The Silver Zephyr, one of the proudest ships in the Ivalican Fleet, last reported experiencing technical difficulties at high altitude.
In an attempt to correct this problem, the Captain ordered the ship below cloud cover; unknowingly it forced a smaller ship that had been flying below it, under the clouds as well.
However, below the clouds were the raging northern wastes, high winds, unusual concentration of Mist and other variables no one has ever encountered before run rampart here. The systems of the Silver Zephyr collapse under the pressure of the Mist, and suddenly the airship is being dragged downwards on an angle that isn’t safe for anyone.
It command center, and bridge slam into the icy canyon wall, the force of the airship crushing, and dragging the entire front end off the wall until nothing is left by a smear of metal and glass.
The Zephyr hits the canyon bottom in pieces, the main body splits in two and the back half drives deep into the ice while the frontal half falls into pieces and is ablaze. Other random parts of the airship continue to fall down from the night sky, which isn’t visible from the canyon floor.
* * *
Where am I? Selene wondered, as the darkness of her sleep fell away. Had she been sleeping though? Maybe, the day before seemed like quite a blur, of course, she recalled the horrible feeling of free falling and someone calling her own as the feeling overwhelmed her, but everything was just a mess of confusion and…
Why was it so bloody cold?
Selene’s eyes slowly opened and she found herself starring not at the ceiling of her room but to the sky. Well it was actually a much of swirling, grey clouds moving at a remarkable pace but it wasn’t the airship for sure. Exactly where was the airship? And why did her body ache like she had hit the ground with more force than behemoth ramming some poor hunter who was just a little too cocky.
Snow began to fall as the woman lifted herself up and found that her head was spinning. But as her head cleared she blinked, and her heart sank. The wreckage was strewn all around her: twisted pieces of metal, battered and broken bodies; plus large fires. The Silver Zephyr had crashed, but why? When had it happened? Had she slept through the entire thing?
“Seta?” She coughed, getting to her feet faster than her body liked. Selene tumbled back down to the ground, resting on her hands and knees. “Seta?!” She called, louder this time as she tried again to get to her feet.
Failure.
Oh to hell with it… She growled inside her mind, crawling over to a piece of metal for support. She finally stood, though she found herself leaning on the plate for help more than she’d like. Selene smirked for a minute. I know he’s not dead, that damned Viera wouldn’t die unless someone ordered him to….
MISSION TIME
It would seem that The Silver Zephyr and the Wolfstar have both crashed in the Soca Rift, a currently unexplored, dangerous canyon in the Northern Wastes. Survivors must currently rally together if they’re going to survive the unforgiving northern climate of the continent.
CHOOSE: Whether you’re from the Silver Zephyr or the Wolfstar. The Silver Zephyr is open for anyone, if you wish to part of the Wolfstar’s crew; you will have to ask Weasel Overlord.