towerofanimus | [The Arcana Is The Mean By Which All Is Revealed] || [Semi-Open]

Entry tags:

[The Arcana Is The Mean By Which All Is Revealed] || [Semi-Open]

Characters: A lot of characters, check the tags!
Setting: Various floors for gathering the seeds; the battles will happen on the Roof of Towerception (Floor 75).
Format: Prose or action, whichever you prefer!

Summary: That's the log for everything related to the Nyx Avatar player plot! The OOC post is here if you want more information about it! You can also use it if you want to plot about how the battles will go. The log is going to be divided into five main threads: a first thread for Ganondorf to gather the "seeds" who will be used to make Ryoji go into his Nyx Avatar mode. Essentially, he's just going to trap them into nifty, colored crystals while they're distracted. The second thread will be about Ryoji reaching the roof of towerception and subsequently being kept there alongside the four seeds till the heroes arrive.

The third thread will be about the 'heroes' arriving to Towerception-- If they took part in the Sephiroth battle, they will have received a seemingly friendly letter asking them to come, otherwise either they will just happen to pass by the tower and feel a strange presence / hear weird noises. Finally, the fourth thread will be about the battle against the seeds with a sub-thread per seed, and the final thread about the battle against Ryoji. As a reminder, the four "seeds of grief" are: Diarmuid, Lancer, Patrick Dawn and Yukiko Amagi.

Because of how the log is divided, you can start the battles without having to wait for the three "lead-in" threads to be completed.

Warning: Evil gloating. Unending lectures about the tarot arcana. Lots of sad all around. Of course, anyone participating in the battle against either the seeds or Nyx takes the non-negligible risk of being killed or grievously wounded.

Seeds of Grief Gathering
Ryoji's Arrival at the Tower
Villain Speech & Nyx's Awakening

Seeds of Grief Battle
Nyx Avatar Battle

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[That was not, to put it charitably, an ideal landing. But as far as Waver could tell, he hadn't broken or otherwise severely injured anything.]

I'm fine...thank you. Sorry about that.

[He quickly shook it off, standing and holding out his hand to Suzaku.]

Listen--if we can separate him from that shorter lance, he'll be missing a good part of his defenses. Unless you've got anything magical on you, I want you to try attacking from the side holding Gae Dearg, and I'll risk an offensive from the other side with Volumen Hydragyrum.

[He took it and stood] It wasn't your fault. [He listened to the plan, and shook his head. He had nothing magical on him.] Alright. [He began to move to the side, watching Waver for when it was time to attack.]

[It is, in fact, not too different from running straight into a wall and she winces under her helmet, slightly concerned by just how little give there is when she actually rams into him shoulder-first. What's more concerning than that is how one instant she's pressed against him and the next he's just... not there anymore. Fortunately for her, her instincts are sharp as ever and it occurs to her to look up.

Just in time to see him coming down spear-point first, realizing she needs to move and move right now. With just an instant to react there was no hope of avoiding the incoming spear entirely, but one advantage of having been stopped cold by ramming into Diarmuid is that she doesn't have any momentum still propelling her forwards. This gives her just enough time to lean back and start to backpedal out of the way, the tip of Gae Dearg skirting off of the front of her breastplate, the armor sparking impressively. That was going to leave a mark. On the bright side she managed to avoid actually taking the blow to a weak point in the armor, but on the downside this left her off balance for a second, in no position to attempt to retaliate.]

[Diarmuid curses under his breath as Amelia dodges his attack, for some reason much angrier than he should be that she has done so. Especially, since her desperate move has left her unbalanced and unprotected. Perhaps the anger is less at her, though, and more at himself for not doing this faster. He hasn't done more than shake anyone up so far as he notes out of the corner of his eyes that both Waver and Suzaku are okay.

Deep inside, something is very pleased with this. The rest of him just screams that this is not acceptable.

For a moment, the pupils of his eyes narrow almost to cat-like slits and then he charges Amelia again, almost reckless in his anger, launching himself into the air again, both spears readied to drive into her armor this time when she is less able to dodge. Of course, in committing both his weapons so aggressively to the attack, he is leaving himself open to attack as well.]

That works.

[Diarmuid was getting angry, and Waver knew that wasn't all that helpful in a fight. There was no telling how many openings they'd have, and he didn't want to risk Amelia's life if he could help it.]

[Raising his hand and snapping an order to Volumen Hydragyrum, his Mystic Code lashed out at the hand holding Gae Buidhe. Waver himself followed quickly, ready to either mount a reckless assault from the side or grab the lance if it was knocked from its owner's hand.]

[Suzaku just nodded and rushed in from the other side attacking him with the sword, hoping to distract him enough that Waver could grab the spear and keep him from hurting Amelia too much, though she seemed to be holding her own well.]

[Her mind is racing at a million miles an hour even as she's been knocked off balance, with her considerable strength it's not impossible to regain her balance but given the speed with which Diarmuid can move... perhaps then it's to her fortune that he takes to the air again instead of just lunging, as this gives her the critical extra second she needs to finish stumbling backwards, getting a boot planted into the ground firmly enough to hold her ground and...

Alright so there wasn't a second part to this plan, and she's almost out of time to react, so she tries something just a hair on the desperate side herself. Waver's maneuver isn't going unnoticed by her and it's given her a split second idea, suddenly bringing Garm right up over the top of her head and downwards in a well-timed lunging hack. If she's correct about this, Diarmuid is a second away from losing one of his weapons which should, in theory, leave him with no choice but to parry with his other one or take a direct blow himself.

If she's not correct, it's probably going to be a direct hit and she's not entirely certain even this grade of armor can withstand a direct hit from him. But risking her life on half-baked gambits is something she's getting used to by now.]

[There's a small break in Lancer's fight with Asagi as he just happens to turn toward Diarmuid. In the berserk state, the only one he recognizes is his brother. And even with his eyes half blinded by blood, he can still catch the sight of metal heading toward Diarmuid.]

[Almost on reflex, he springs forward in a whirlwind of blood of fur, placing himself in front of Diarmuid to block Suzaku' attack. He also swipes at Garm's place with one large claw.]

[That small part of Diarmuid that is still him deep down realizes what is going to happen shortly before it does, but it doesn't do anything to share that realization with the rest of his consciousness. But he knows. He's too focused. He's taking risks. There is one who knows how to take full advantage of those risks...

...and thankfully is not hesitating to do so.

The mercury shouldn't reach him, but it does--one tendril cutting deeply into his wrist, scrapping across bone, while another pulls Gae Buidhe from his now useless hand. Diarmuid snarls as it happens, not out of pain, but in frustration.]

No! That is mine!

[Thanks to his brother, attacks from both Suzaku and Amelia are halted. This allows Diarmuid--after rebounding OFF Gram's blade without injury of any kind--to redirect his course and land behind Cu Chulainn. Diarmuid pauses then, looking down at his mangled wrist. He snarls again, before, oddly enough, dismissing Gae Dearg from hand and patting his brother on top of the head.]

Thank you.

[The words are spoken in an eerily calm voice and then Diarmuid is moving again. Red flashes into his hand as Gae Dearg reappears as fast as it had vanished. The expression on his face as he bolts straight toward Waver is anything but calm, though. It is enraged.

And, for a brief instant, it is also sad.]

[That had gone almost flawlessly, aside from the introduction of the manic rabid dog. Never mind--he could be dealt with later, somehow or other. A problem arose when Volumen Hydragyrum dropped the weapon into Waver's hands, daggers having been put aside--he had no idea how to use a lance. And with Diarmuid closing in on him fast, there were less than a few seconds to learn.]

[Or, he could take another option entirely.]

Scalp! [The mercury jerked and bolted not to defend, but to attack from beneath--it ran along the floor and rose to strike Gae Dearg's shaft. If he could deflect that, then Waver would take a chance and strike directly.]

[His hands tightened on the golden spear in his hands, silently praying this didn't get him killed.]

[Suzaku is blocked by Lancer, he stumbles backwards and tries to regain his balance and some distance, to try and rejoin the fight. There is no way the three of them will succeed against both Diarmuid and Cu. They were having enough trouble against just Diarmuid.

He rushed forward again, this time aiming for Cu's side, if he can distract him then Waver and Amelia will have a better job at fighting Diarmuid, without Cu to fight as well.]

[Of all the things the young knight had prepared herself for, having a massive paw suddenly deflect her swing was not one of them and her eyes widen under her helmet, the surprise so great as to actually cause her to swear under her breath in surprise. It's all she can do to stumble backwards for a moment, silently watching Cu and Diarmuid as they have their exchange.

Great. There's two of them.

There's no time to think though as everything bursts into action again, spotting both Suzaku dashing at Cu and Diarmuid bolting for Waver.

No time to think, just time to move.

Taking Diarmuid as the more pressing threat she breaks into another full speed sprint, trying to dash after Diarmuid as quickly as she possibly can with Garm hefted up into her hands again, but this is a fools errand and she knows it. There's no way she can catch him with him before he closes the distance between himself and Waver, and there's a small rush of panic, a split second realization that in all likelyhood an ally is about to fall.

All she can do is try to run harder, but for the moment it's still going to be on Waver.]

[Cu Chulainn gives a quiet bark as Diarmuid pats his head. Even when out of his mind with rage, he can still register it as a pleasant feeling.]

[The next moment everything goes into motion again. Suzaku attacking him diverts his attention away from Diarmuid. As the sword digs into his skin, he swipes at Suzaku's head with a paw.]

[Diarmuid doesn't notice Suzaku attack his brother. He doesn't even notice that Amelia is charging him from behind. His focus is entirely on Waver and getting his spear back from the man. He is so focused, in fact, that he doesn't even stop when the mercury launches itself up from the ground to try and disarm him. He just lets the weapon fly from his hand. It can be summoned back in an instant, after all.

Yukiko's last heal patches his wounded wrist back together, but he barely notices it. His mind is a whirl of reds and blacks--it's a scarily familiar state of mind that sets that little part of him that is still him screaming in terror.

I have to stop. I have to stop. I have to stop.

But he doesn't stop. Instead, he continues toward Waver. He doesn't even bother to call his spear back. Instead, his hands flex angrily and his mind drifts to what it would be like to strangle the life out of the thief who dared to take his weapon.]

NO!

[He does stop then. The image of strangling Waver to death so abhorrent that it is enough to allow that part of him that is still him back to the surface. His eyes clear for a moment, and he turns them on Waver. Wide. Frightened. Slowly, one hand reaches out for him.]

Please...help me...

[For just a moment, Waver froze--the realization that this was going to be the only chance they got sat heavily on his shoulders. Even though he looked at him like that and pleaded for help...in two seconds this wouldn't be Diarmuid anymore.]

[If their positions were switched, what would the knight have done? Waver didn't even need to ask himself that; he would do what was right. What needed to be done. Waver wouldn't have been able to call himself his friend if he was to do any less than that. The only way to help him at all would be to commit something so unforgivable it made Waver sick to consider. The hold on Gae Buidhe tightened, weapon brought up and sharply stabbed forward in a quick and carefully aimed motion.]

[Waver's eyes had gone dead and cold with something that was best described as a complete lack of hope or sentiment lingering in his expression. Part of him hoped this missed entirely, that Diarmuid would avoid it and just kill him instead. That seemed a fitting punishment for someone who could answer a request for help this way. But even so...there was simply nothing else he could do.]

[Suzaku was flung to the side by the paw that swiped at his head. He rolled a few times and struggled up to his knees when he finally stopped moving.

Just in time to see Waver with the spear, stabbing at Diarmuid. He froze, staring at the scene, knowing it was the only thing that could be done, but wanting to stop it. Because it was wrong.

He stumbled to his feet and rushed over, ignoring Cu for now, not planning to stop Waver, just knowing he shouldn't be alone, not during this, and not after.]

[She sees it coming.

As focused as she is, as in the moment as she is, it's impossible not to. There's only one way being disarmed ever ends for somebody, and when she spots Waver successfully disarm Diarmuid, the latter clearly hesitating? She knows exactly what's about to happen. For a split second she hesitates in her charge, because even if they're enemies that's still somebody she looks up to who's about to be cut down.

In the end her attention moves away, perhaps a foolish, even careless decision but her attention needs to be on Cu right now and she reasons it to herself as not wanting to let their other main opponent out of her view for very long, her charge coming to a halt as she instead decides to hold position somewhere between Cu and Waver just in case.

And because for as jaded as she thought she was to violence, she's not sure she can actually watch what's about to happen to Diarmuid.]

[Cu Chulainn would have gone to his brother's side again, but Amelia's movement distracts him. He calls Gae Bolg again and thrusts it at Amelia to try and get her out of the way, but before the spear can hit, Asagi attacks. The hair blades going into his arm makes him release the spear, sending it flying.]

[As the spear goes through the air, Cu Chulainn focuses back on his fight with Asagi, leaving him in no condition to distract either Suzaku or Amelia.]

[Waver is, sadly, right. Diarmuid only has control of himself for a few seconds and then the despair and madness are clawing at him again, attempting to pull him under and smother him for good this time. It's something he can't let happen. Even seeing that dangerous spear of his brother's go flying--even seeing Cu Chulainn himself drug back out of the fight by Asagi--doesn't help. In fact, it only gives the despair and madness more strength, since that part of him knows he needs to help his brother.

Things need to end now.

The muscles in his legs tighten and--as the darkness is howling at him and as the despair clouds his senses once again--Diarmuid launches himself forward onto the spear, making sure Waver's attack connects, making sure he doesn't dodge at the last second. Everything goes red for a moment...and then there is clarity and light again.

Diarmuid's knees give out and he collapses to the ground, hands wrapping around the spear that has pierced his heart. This...is a familiar feeling, but oddly enough he doesn't feel rage or betrayal this time. Instead of feeling those things, he only feels one thing.

Relief.

He looks up at Waver as everything begins to fade out around him and smiles. As he does, one blood-stained hand reaches out to rest over the ones Waver has clasped around the other end of the spear.]

Thank you...

[And that is all. No hate. No anger. Just relief and a slide into nothingness.]

[He should have felt something. And maybe, on some level, he did. On some deeply buried level Waver Velvet was screaming and cursing and hating himself. But outwardly, there was nothing. His dead-eyed expression hadn't faltered or even twitched as things unfolded to their conclusion. It was only logical this situation should end this way, and sentiment only served to get in the way of logic.]

[A human was emotional. Weak. A magus was a machine which existed only to preserve itself at any cost.]

['Waver Velvet' couldn't live through this fight. He wasn't someone who could survive this tower, and 'Waver Velvet' was not someone that could help the tower's population survive past summer.]

[Pulling Gae Buidhe back and holding it at his side, the second Lord El-Melloi glanced over his shoulder to Nyx without saying a word. There was no need to say anything; their obvious course of action was simple logic.]

[Suzaku had been in this position more times than he really wished to recall. Watching his friends die, helpless to stop them, knowing it was for the best.

When Euphemia had died he had lost control completely, but now he just stood feeling empty. He wasn't sure when he had become so numb to death and loss, or if it was a good thing.

He didn't think it was a good thing. It didn't feel good. He watched Diarmuid fall and stayed by Waver's side, turning as he did, eyes hard, also knowing what needed to be done.]

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[The Arcana Is The Mean By Which All Is Revealed] || [Semi-Open]

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Injury warning!

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[TW: References to strangulation.]

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careful of flying cursed spears

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