Torrin raised an eyebrow at Take's wonder at the cat's new bandana...cape thing. Nini certainly looked cuter but now was the time to stop procrastinating and get moving. The kid's cat puns were a little much but he was glad to see Take so happy. He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "Alright, you've had your mewment. You're all ready. Let's go." Torrin called on his glider and hopped on it, bringing it alongside Boreas. "Take it easy since this is the first time you guys have had your own gliders. Boreas and I will take the lead." "Wait, that costume fits under your armor? ...Just how many layers are you wearing right now?" Torrin spoke quietly towards Boreas, shaking his head before taking to the skies with the rush of wind sending the tail end of his coat whipping about in the air. Dallben blinked in confusion at Qamar and Illiana as the girls spoke. "Why no. I haven't seen any dark creatures but I fear something terrible is to come." Dallben turned his attention towards Aria and though these young people were strangers to him, the way she spoke gave him a sense that they could be trusted. "If you could spare the time for a matter of great importance..." "Of course. We kept you from completing your task so it is our responsibility to finish it for you. What would you have us do, Dallben?" Thallasa spoke up. The man smiled and sat to rest on the porch of his home. "Thank you. My assistant is young and brash so I would wish for you to follow after him to keep an eye on the boy." "If I may ask, what is so important about this task? Why did you send him off on a journey?" "Hen Wen, the pig we are the keepers of, is an oracular pig. She has the power to reveal visions of the future or locate anything in this world. She had a vision of a powerful dark sorcerer known as the Horned King and that he would come for her to use her powers to locate the Black Cauldron, a crucible with immense dark power within it to summon an undead army to conquer the world." Dallben spoke grimly. "You must not let that happen. By keeping Hen Wen from his reach we can guarantee that the Horned King does not find the Black Cauldron." The Light Chaser looked up to the sky and pointed directly up. "Darkness continues to pull at the very fabric of this realm. Soon even the Realm of Sleep will not be enough to keep this world safe from the Heartless." An unnaturally dark cloud loomed overhead pulsating with each passing moment. The man lowered his hand and looked at his surrounding apprentices. "I estimate that particular batch of Heartless is already halfway through." "That's nuts!" Koa exclaimed. "So you want us to wait here to destroy them all?" Avra asked. "My, aren't you excitable Avra?" Zeno smirked. "There will be no need to wait. I can open a way in for them right now. Being wielders of the keyblade, the Heartless will naturally go for you first." The Light Chaser explained. "A few Heartless will be no problem for you but a steady stream of them should serve for an excellent means of growing in power." "So...we just fight? For how long?" Pagos looked up at his master. "As long as it takes." Without any further warning the Light Chaser snapped his fingers and a swarm of Heartless descended upon his students. Round 1 Chrysanthemum Koa Avra Pagos Zeno Enemies Remaining: 20 Gargoyles (16AP) 20 Air Pirates (12AP) 20 Crimson Jazzes (20AP) 40 Search Ghosts (12AP) Shield Break – Can only be used once per battle. During the turn this ability is used Guard, Stone, and Reflect are ignored by Chrys's physical attacks. Deals 25% more damage with physical attacks to bosses when used. Dispel – Can only be used once per battle. Removes any magical buffs caused by Spells from all enemies. HP: 115/115 AP: 62/62 MP: 40/40 DP: 3/3 FORMS None active. PASSIVE ABILITIES Guard – Defense is boosted proportional to the amount of AP saved. White Mage – Cure heals 2 targets instead of 1. Defender – Reduce damage when at 30% or lower HP. Stone Boost – Stone lasts an extra turn. Red Mage – Aero, Stone, and Water last an extra turn. MP Haste – Regain 1 MP per turn. Second Chance – If you have 2 HP or more, a hit you take that would knock you out brings you to 1 HP instead. Only works once. ACTIVE ABILITIES Dodge Roll – Consume 5 AP to boost Evasion by 1 Tier. [Can be used once per turn.] Blitz – Dish out an attack worth 10 AP to 1 enemy. Fills Break Gauge by 10%. Vicinity Break – A circular swing over a wide area dealing an attack worth 10 AP to strike 4 enemies. Fills Break Gauge by 10%. MP Drain – Convert 20 AP into 5 MP. STATUS None. HP: 95/95 AP: 50/50 MP: 30/30 STATUS None. HP: 120/120 AP: 42/42 MP: 30/30 STATUS None. HP: 105/105 AP: 48/48 MP: 40/40 STATUS None. HP: 115/115 AP: 54/54 MP: 40/40 STATUS None.
Torrin raised an eyebrow at Take's wonder at the cat's new bandana...cape thing. Nini certainly looked cuter but now was the time to stop procrastinating and get moving. The kid's cat puns were a little much but he was glad to see Take so happy. He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "Alright, you've had your mewment. You're all ready. Let's go." Torrin called on his glider and hopped on it, bringing it alongside Boreas. "Take it easy since this is the first time you guys have had your own gliders. Boreas and I will take the lead." "Wait, that costume fits under your armor? ...Just how many layers are you wearing right now?" Torrin spoke quietly towards Boreas, shaking his head before taking to the skies with the rush of wind sending the tail end of his coat whipping about in the air. Dallben blinked in confusion at Qamar and Illiana as the girls spoke. "Why no. I haven't seen any dark creatures but I fear something terrible is to come." Dallben turned his attention towards Aria and though these young people were strangers to him, the way she spoke gave him a sense that they could be trusted. "If you could spare the time for a matter of great importance..." "Of course. We kept you from completing your task so it is our responsibility to finish it for you. What would you have us do, Dallben?" Thallasa spoke up. The man smiled and sat to rest on the porch of his home. "Thank you. My assistant is young and brash so I would wish for you to follow after him to keep an eye on the boy." "If I may ask, what is so important about this task? Why did you send him off on a journey?" "Hen Wen, the pig we are the keepers of, is an oracular pig. She has the power to reveal visions of the future or locate anything in this world. She had a vision of a powerful dark sorcerer known as the Horned King and that he would come for her to use her powers to locate the Black Cauldron, a crucible with immense dark power within it to summon an undead army to conquer the world." Dallben spoke grimly. "You must not let that happen. By keeping Hen Wen from his reach we can guarantee that the Horned King does not find the Black Cauldron."
The Light Chaser looked up to the sky and pointed directly up. "Darkness continues to pull at the very fabric of this realm. Soon even the Realm of Sleep will not be enough to keep this world safe from the Heartless." An unnaturally dark cloud loomed overhead pulsating with each passing moment. The man lowered his hand and looked at his surrounding apprentices. "I estimate that particular batch of Heartless is already halfway through." "That's nuts!" Koa exclaimed. "So you want us to wait here to destroy them all?" Avra asked. "My, aren't you excitable Avra?" Zeno smirked. "There will be no need to wait. I can open a way in for them right now. Being wielders of the keyblade, the Heartless will naturally go for you first." The Light Chaser explained. "A few Heartless will be no problem for you but a steady stream of them should serve for an excellent means of growing in power." "So...we just fight? For how long?" Pagos looked up at his master. "As long as it takes." Without any further warning the Light Chaser snapped his fingers and a swarm of Heartless descended upon his students.
"You took a bad hit! Don't be afraid to let me take an attack for you. We're in this together!" Alder cautioned Cerdic, feeling strange to have even said those words. Was it not that long ago that he wanted to punch Cerdic in the jaw? In the desperation of their situation they had found common ground and though Alder barely remembered the nature of their interactions together all that mattered now was that they needed to work together to survive. Alder rushed in once more and stabbed at the creature before casting a Gravity spell in the hopes he could pin it down or at least slow its assault on the generator.
"You took a bad hit! Don't be afraid to let me take an attack for you. We're in this together!" Alder cautioned Cerdic, feeling strange to have even said those words. Was it not that long ago that he wanted to punch Cerdic in the jaw? In the desperation of their situation they had found common ground and though Alder barely remembered the nature of their interactions together all that mattered now was that they needed to work together to survive. Alder rushed in once more and stabbed at the creature before casting a Gravity spell in the hopes he could pin it down or at least slow its assault on the generator.
Admittedly, the plan to search for clues through a large city wasn't the greatest of plans but at least the other two were on the right track of what needed to be done. "Both ideas are better than mine. Alright, we're going with Tinarah's. My suit's been wrecked though so...anyone else who still has one should put them back on." Torrin spoke towards the others. "Once you guys suit up we'll use the gliders to catch some attention." "If anyone should be careful, it is us. I didn't know where we would end up but this was our fault." Thallasa directed to Qamar. The old man looked up at Aria, his leg feeling a little better after the spell she had cast and slowly stood up with her help, taking a limping step backward with the additional support of the splint. "You...you aren't demons." The man took another step back to lean on the small wooden bridge that crossed over the stream in front of his house. "And you're certainly not like any servants of the Horned King I've ever seen." The old man looked down at his leg, knowing he was unfit to continue on his journey then looked at the group of travelers before him. "I am Pig-Keeper Dallben. I was on a journey to meet with my assistant but..." He looked down at his leg. "I'm afraid that's impossible now." He sighed in frustration. "Who are you strange folk? What is your purpose here?" He asked inquisitively.
Admittedly, the plan to search for clues through a large city wasn't the greatest of plans but at least the other two were on the right track of what needed to be done. "Both ideas are better than mine. Alright, we're going with Tinarah's. My suit's been wrecked though so...anyone else who still has one should put them back on." Torrin spoke towards the others. "Once you guys suit up we'll use the gliders to catch some attention." "If anyone should be careful, it is us. I didn't know where we would end up but this was our fault." Thallasa directed to Qamar. The old man looked up at Aria, his leg feeling a little better after the spell she had cast and slowly stood up with her help, taking a limping step backward with the additional support of the splint. "You...you aren't demons." The man took another step back to lean on the small wooden bridge that crossed over the stream in front of his house. "And you're certainly not like any servants of the Horned King I've ever seen." The old man looked down at his leg, knowing he was unfit to continue on his journey then looked at the group of travelers before him. "I am Pig-Keeper Dallben. I was on a journey to meet with my assistant but..." He looked down at his leg. "I'm afraid that's impossible now." He sighed in frustration. "Who are you strange folk? What is your purpose here?" He asked inquisitively.
Valen Onurfury the Skald.
"Aria, Illiana, Qamar, and Glyde will come with me. It seems the rest of you have made up your mind." With nothing further to say, she led the way on around the mansion and stopped in front of nothing save for the city view atop the hill which Edna's home was situated on. If one narrowed their vision and focused on the space directly in front of Thallasa they would have seen the air quiver ever so slightly. The master held out her keyblade and the ripples in the air began to intensify radiating a gentle warmth to those in its vicinity. "After the Heartless were pushed back this hidden path revealed itself to me." A beam of light shot out from the tip of her keyblade and a column of light opened up before them. "Beyond is our destination and the next Princess of Heart." Torrin gave a short wave at the group when they began to head out and folded his arms. "Guess it's time to get to work." "This is terrible!" Edna shouted as she ran out from her home. "There's no heroes in the city!" "Wait what?" "Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl, and Frozone! They've all been captured by the Unforgivables!" Edna exclaimed. "I tried calling the other supers for help but there's been no answer!" "Of course...because why deal with one problem when two is more fun?" He ran a hand through his hair and looked over at the others. Complaining was going to get them nowhere and he supposed that they had already interfered in this world's affairs enough so what harm could interfering a little more do? "Alright Miss Mode, we're here and we're ready to help. How did they get captured?" The woman adjusted her glasses and looked around eyeing them quizzically. "Weren't there more of you?" "The others needed to leave in a hurry." "What of your costumes?" "Yeah...About that..." The short woman shook her head slowly. "Disappointing. No goodbyes! You ruined my creations! So rude." She scolded them. "The Unforgivables sprung a trap for them last night while they were dealing with the aftermath of the destruction." "Well where do we look?" "How should I know!? I am no a hero! I am an artist!" "Yes those costumes were great but that's not any help." Torrin scratched the back of his head and looked over at the rest of the group. "Given how the others operated, I'd assume just looking around the city would bring up some clues. They're not the most secretive bunch so they're bound to have left something behind to lead us to their theatrics. Though...it's a big city. Anyone have a better idea?" The portal opened up to a wooden house with a roof made of straw. A small stream ran along the front of the house and several feet away was an empty pig pen. An elderly man carrying a bag slung over his shoulder was leaving his house when a column of light tore open before him. The man shouted in terror and fell backwards, yelping in pain as his leg twisted and his back struck the floor. From out of the portal stepped out the keyblade wielders. The old man cradled his wounded leg and stared at the group in shock. "Begone demons!" He cried out as he tried to scoot away from the group.
"Aria, Illiana, Qamar, and Glyde will come with me. It seems the rest of you have made up your mind." With nothing further to say, she led the way on around the mansion and stopped in front of nothing save for the city view atop the hill which Edna's home was situated on. If one narrowed their vision and focused on the space directly in front of Thallasa they would have seen the air quiver ever so slightly. The master held out her keyblade and the ripples in the air began to intensify radiating a gentle warmth to those in its vicinity. "After the Heartless were pushed back this hidden path revealed itself to me." A beam of light shot out from the tip of her keyblade and a column of light opened up before them. "Beyond is our destination and the next Princess of Heart."
Torrin gave a short wave at the group when they began to head out and folded his arms. "Guess it's time to get to work." "This is terrible!" Edna shouted as she ran out from her home. "There's no heroes in the city!" "Wait what?" "Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl, and Frozone! They've all been captured by the Unforgivables!" Edna exclaimed. "I tried calling the other supers for help but there's been no answer!" "Of course...because why deal with one problem when two is more fun?" He ran a hand through his hair and looked over at the others. Complaining was going to get them nowhere and he supposed that they had already interfered in this world's affairs enough so what harm could interfering a little more do? "Alright Miss Mode, we're here and we're ready to help. How did they get captured?" The woman adjusted her glasses and looked around eyeing them quizzically. "Weren't there more of you?" "The others needed to leave in a hurry." "What of your costumes?" "Yeah...About that..." The short woman shook her head slowly. "Disappointing. No goodbyes! You ruined my creations! So rude." She scolded them. "The Unforgivables sprung a trap for them last night while they were dealing with the aftermath of the destruction." "Well where do we look?" "How should I know!? I am no a hero! I am an artist!" "Yes those costumes were great but that's not any help." Torrin scratched the back of his head and looked over at the rest of the group. "Given how the others operated, I'd assume just looking around the city would bring up some clues. They're not the most secretive bunch so they're bound to have left something behind to lead us to their theatrics. Though...it's a big city. Anyone have a better idea?"
The portal opened up to a wooden house with a roof made of straw. A small stream ran along the front of the house and several feet away was an empty pig pen. An elderly man carrying a bag slung over his shoulder was leaving his house when a column of light tore open before him. The man shouted in terror and fell backwards, yelping in pain as his leg twisted and his back struck the floor. From out of the portal stepped out the keyblade wielders. The old man cradled his wounded leg and stared at the group in shock. "Begone demons!" He cried out as he tried to scoot away from the group.
Once everyone was outside Torrin cleared his throat and stepped forward. "This'll just take a sec, Thallasa. I just need to show the others something." "Oh? And what is that?" "Just something to even the odds a little." If they were really going to be splitting up again, he wanted the others to have a few more combat options available to them. "If you guys are all going to keep fighting there's a few new tricks you all will have to learn. One of which is something fairly standard and the other is a little trick I've come up with myself. First, the creation of a keyblade glider. Do not use this as your default mode of transportation unless you're planning to draw as much attention to yourself as possible and, yes, that is definitely what you don't want to do. Second, for those of you I've already taught, take the opportunity to stretch your skills a little further and for everyone else, this requires a little more...creativity. So just open your mind up to some new possibilities." Illiana, Tinarah, Chrono, Takehiko, Aria, and Glyde learned how to use a keyblade glider! Everyone learned a new keyblade weapon transformation! "Impressive technique. All settled then?" She asked once the lesson was over. Torrin nodded in response. "I'm aware that some of you wish to remain on this world and others wish to leave. All those accompanying me to find the next Princess of Heart should come with me now. The path to the next world is not far. Speak your farewells now if you desire and..." She looked over to Torrin who she knew for a fact wished to stay behind. "Good luck."
Once everyone was outside Torrin cleared his throat and stepped forward. "This'll just take a sec, Thallasa. I just need to show the others something." "Oh? And what is that?" "Just something to even the odds a little." If they were really going to be splitting up again, he wanted the others to have a few more combat options available to them. "If you guys are all going to keep fighting there's a few new tricks you all will have to learn. One of which is something fairly standard and the other is a little trick I've come up with myself. First, the creation of a keyblade glider. Do not use this as your default mode of transportation unless you're planning to draw as much attention to yourself as possible and, yes, that is definitely what you don't want to do. Second, for those of you I've already taught, take the opportunity to stretch your skills a little further and for everyone else, this requires a little more...creativity. So just open your mind up to some new possibilities."
"Impressive technique. All settled then?" She asked once the lesson was over. Torrin nodded in response. "I'm aware that some of you wish to remain on this world and others wish to leave. All those accompanying me to find the next Princess of Heart should come with me now. The path to the next world is not far. Speak your farewells now if you desire and..." She looked over to Torrin who she knew for a fact wished to stay behind. "Good luck."
Torrin took a step away from Tinarah and Nini when the girl came closer seeing as how the cat now had its eyes fixed on him and looked about ready to leap away from Tinarah. All the cat did was remind him of Mika. Having to put down her Nobody and pretend to be okay with her cat just felt wrong to him. "Staying here?" Torrin repeated. It was definitely going to be awkward if that was the case. "Alright. As long as your rested and ready for another long day." Torrin scratched the back of his head and tried to keep himself from looking like he was ready to run out of the interaction. Nothing awkward about it. Just two big reminders of the pain he and his doppelganger had caused. Nothing abnormal about it. Thallasa regretted that her advice had not been better but she did not take it personally. Tinarah seemed to be in a fragile state after her experience and she felt it best not to press the subject more "When everyone's ready to get on to business, meet me in the front." The master called out to everyone as she walked out the front door.
Torrin took a step away from Tinarah and Nini when the girl came closer seeing as how the cat now had its eyes fixed on him and looked about ready to leap away from Tinarah. All the cat did was remind him of Mika. Having to put down her Nobody and pretend to be okay with her cat just felt wrong to him. "Staying here?" Torrin repeated. It was definitely going to be awkward if that was the case. "Alright. As long as your rested and ready for another long day." Torrin scratched the back of his head and tried to keep himself from looking like he was ready to run out of the interaction. Nothing awkward about it. Just two big reminders of the pain he and his doppelganger had caused. Nothing abnormal about it.
Thallasa regretted that her advice had not been better but she did not take it personally. Tinarah seemed to be in a fragile state after her experience and she felt it best not to press the subject more "When everyone's ready to get on to business, meet me in the front." The master called out to everyone as she walked out the front door.
"The only thing you can do is focus on the here and now." Thallasa said as she eyed the cat protecting Tinarah closely. "From what I've been told, there doesn't seem to be any way to get back to that realm without a great deal of preparation, knowledge, and power. No doubt someone who could best Master Gero in combat has the power to do so...but the other two? It appears that only the Light Chaser and Gero even know how to create a doorway to another realm. If that Torrin knew how, it's unlikely you would have been out of his grasp for so long without him having already tracked you down. So take comfort in the knowledge that you are safe, Tinarah."
"The only thing you can do is focus on the here and now." Thallasa said as she eyed the cat protecting Tinarah closely. "From what I've been told, there doesn't seem to be any way to get back to that realm without a great deal of preparation, knowledge, and power. No doubt someone who could best Master Gero in combat has the power to do so...but the other two? It appears that only the Light Chaser and Gero even know how to create a doorway to another realm. If that Torrin knew how, it's unlikely you would have been out of his grasp for so long without him having already tracked you down. So take comfort in the knowledge that you are safe, Tinarah."
Thallasa watched Tinarah with a hint of confusion as to whom she spoke of. "Let him win?" She thought about this for a moment and then realized based on the clues Tinarah was giving that she had referred to her experiences in the other realm. "You mean Torrin? It does not look like he is currently plotting anyone's demise at the moment. We're all on the same side from what I can tell."
Thallasa watched Tinarah with a hint of confusion as to whom she spoke of. "Let him win?" She thought about this for a moment and then realized based on the clues Tinarah was giving that she had referred to her experiences in the other realm. "You mean Torrin? It does not look like he is currently plotting anyone's demise at the moment. We're all on the same side from what I can tell."
Thallasa nodded in understanding. "I see. Well we've all been under considerable stress lately, especially after the events of last night. Perhaps with more time the others will learn better to fall in line. Some seem to be capable of doing so but there are more than a few...free spirits amongst us." She patted Boreas on the should and walked past him. "Keep an eye on the troublemakers. I sense you have a knack for that. And thank you for trusting me with this." She walked into the living room. "Good morning everyone." Everyone was talking amongst themselves or eating. "The pancakes smell good." She headed over towards Tinarah who was cleaning the dishes while being watched over by a cat, walking by Takehiko who was carrying some delicious-looking pancakes. The cat hissed at Thallasa making her raise an eyebrow and tilt her head. "I've always been more of a dog person, to be honest. I used to own one. Perhaps she smells him on me." She spoke lightly towards Tinarah. Thallasa looked over at the others, noticing Torrin shift away uncomfortably from Tinarah and the cat while chowing down on the pancakes and refusing to take a seat while he ate. "Hm." She looked back over at Tinarah. "Would you like a hand with that?"
Thallasa nodded in understanding. "I see. Well we've all been under considerable stress lately, especially after the events of last night. Perhaps with more time the others will learn better to fall in line. Some seem to be capable of doing so but there are more than a few...free spirits amongst us." She patted Boreas on the should and walked past him. "Keep an eye on the troublemakers. I sense you have a knack for that. And thank you for trusting me with this." She walked into the living room. "Good morning everyone." Everyone was talking amongst themselves or eating. "The pancakes smell good." She headed over towards Tinarah who was cleaning the dishes while being watched over by a cat, walking by Takehiko who was carrying some delicious-looking pancakes. The cat hissed at Thallasa making her raise an eyebrow and tilt her head. "I've always been more of a dog person, to be honest. I used to own one. Perhaps she smells him on me." She spoke lightly towards Tinarah. Thallasa looked over at the others, noticing Torrin shift away uncomfortably from Tinarah and the cat while chowing down on the pancakes and refusing to take a seat while he ate. "Hm." She looked back over at Tinarah. "Would you like a hand with that?"
Arctus had held a keyblade and yet...he was sort of unimpressed with it. Perhaps because it was Karina's instead of a weapon that belonged to him. "Lea." Arctus repeated upon hearing the name. "If we can only do so much at a time, we might as well start with something. ...So finding out what happened to Lea makes sense." At the very least, he was curious about the fate of the man who had brought him into this mess.
Arctus had held a keyblade and yet...he was sort of unimpressed with it. Perhaps because it was Karina's instead of a weapon that belonged to him. "Lea." Arctus repeated upon hearing the name. "If we can only do so much at a time, we might as well start with something. ...So finding out what happened to Lea makes sense." At the very least, he was curious about the fate of the man who had brought him into this mess.
Torrin took the stone and turned it over in his hand, tossing it up a foot into the air and catching it. "Smooth stone." He commented quietly, looking down at the small carving placed in the stone. Four wings. Just like a Flammie. He smiled slightly and held it back out towards Take. "I like it." He stated simply. Realizing, on seeing the look on Take's face, that this stone was more important to him than he had said Torrin added, "Thank you for showing me this. It's good to know someone else appreciated Flammies." "The others are fine now." She said as she held out her hand to cast a powerful Cure spell on Boreas, shining a soft green glow over the keyblader. The skin on his face began to return to normal and when she was done she lowered her hand. "There you go. Feeling better?" She paused for a moment and folded her arms. "I noticed that you had lost your temper back there. What caused you to go off like that? While on my watch I expect those under me to keep a cool head and go off the deep end."
Torrin took the stone and turned it over in his hand, tossing it up a foot into the air and catching it. "Smooth stone." He commented quietly, looking down at the small carving placed in the stone. Four wings. Just like a Flammie. He smiled slightly and held it back out towards Take. "I like it." He stated simply. Realizing, on seeing the look on Take's face, that this stone was more important to him than he had said Torrin added, "Thank you for showing me this. It's good to know someone else appreciated Flammies."
"The others are fine now." She said as she held out her hand to cast a powerful Cure spell on Boreas, shining a soft green glow over the keyblader. The skin on his face began to return to normal and when she was done she lowered her hand. "There you go. Feeling better?" She paused for a moment and folded her arms. "I noticed that you had lost your temper back there. What caused you to go off like that? While on my watch I expect those under me to keep a cool head and go off the deep end."
Torrin refused to make a comment on what Boreas had said. He didn't have a satisfying answer. Also, he still didn't buy into drinking to celebrate. After all what was the point in getting blitzed when the next battle was just around the corner? Though, now that he thought about it, this rest was almost like a celebration in a way. "I seriously doubt a Flammie would ever hurt anyone unless provoked." Torrin spoke, unsure of what to make of the fact that Take's people fought dragons. He sincerely hoped that they never killed what they called a "Fluff". "You have a brother that draws Flammies?" He said a little excitedly. "I'd definitely want to see that. All the art back home is either too gloomy or too regal for my tastes." In fact, the only new art he had seen from his homeworld in some time were insignia's painted onto banners and shields and the occasional emblem placed on armor. The more he thought about it, the more he wondered if the most talented artist he knew was the castle blacksmith, Watts, an extremely short and burly man whose skill with a forge and hammer was unmatched by anyone in either realm. Shaking his head to snap back to reality Torrin gulped down the last of the hot chocolate and raised an eyebrow at Take's question. "Wait you mean you can make pancakes out of chocolate too? Sign me up for three." She looked down at the green line on her communicator then back up at the door. The woman clicked the communicator to its next setting and rose up from her seat. "I was done with my mediation anyway." Thallasa's voice came from the other side of the door before she came to open it. "Ah, Boreas. You were the one who patched up Aria. Good work there." She stated simply, placing one hand on her hip. "What's the request you wish to make?" "Very well then." The man motioned for the two to follow after him as he clasped his hands behind his back. "It's been five years since I brought you in to the cause." He looked over at Koa. "And you've been with us for some time now as well." He sounded almost amused as he spoke. As they walked he led them to the outskirts of the town where it was surrounded by fields of green and bathed in the light of an ever setting sun. In the distance three other figures stood waiting for them. As the group began to approach their faces came into view. Zeno, Avra, and Pagos were already there. Once they arrived to regroup with the other Chasers, the man finally spoke once more. "It is time to begin training for the Mark of Mastery."
Torrin refused to make a comment on what Boreas had said. He didn't have a satisfying answer. Also, he still didn't buy into drinking to celebrate. After all what was the point in getting blitzed when the next battle was just around the corner? Though, now that he thought about it, this rest was almost like a celebration in a way. "I seriously doubt a Flammie would ever hurt anyone unless provoked." Torrin spoke, unsure of what to make of the fact that Take's people fought dragons. He sincerely hoped that they never killed what they called a "Fluff". "You have a brother that draws Flammies?" He said a little excitedly. "I'd definitely want to see that. All the art back home is either too gloomy or too regal for my tastes." In fact, the only new art he had seen from his homeworld in some time were insignia's painted onto banners and shields and the occasional emblem placed on armor. The more he thought about it, the more he wondered if the most talented artist he knew was the castle blacksmith, Watts, an extremely short and burly man whose skill with a forge and hammer was unmatched by anyone in either realm. Shaking his head to snap back to reality Torrin gulped down the last of the hot chocolate and raised an eyebrow at Take's question. "Wait you mean you can make pancakes out of chocolate too? Sign me up for three."
She looked down at the green line on her communicator then back up at the door. The woman clicked the communicator to its next setting and rose up from her seat. "I was done with my mediation anyway." Thallasa's voice came from the other side of the door before she came to open it. "Ah, Boreas. You were the one who patched up Aria. Good work there." She stated simply, placing one hand on her hip. "What's the request you wish to make?"
"Very well then." The man motioned for the two to follow after him as he clasped his hands behind his back. "It's been five years since I brought you in to the cause." He looked over at Koa. "And you've been with us for some time now as well." He sounded almost amused as he spoke. As they walked he led them to the outskirts of the town where it was surrounded by fields of green and bathed in the light of an ever setting sun. In the distance three other figures stood waiting for them. As the group began to approach their faces came into view. Zeno, Avra, and Pagos were already there. Once they arrived to regroup with the other Chasers, the man finally spoke once more. "It is time to begin training for the Mark of Mastery."
And then Alder upon feeling the pain of the monster's dark blast knocking him off balance, wished he had something better to fight back with to even the odds. "Alright you son of a...wait why do I feel sluggish?" His body was heavier to move and as he began to approach the creature as it lashed out with a black arm that whipped about he knew he would likely be unable to dodge it. Still, he had his armor and that was going to bring him some protection. Aiming for a "strong offense is a strong defense" approach Alder ran as fast as his body would allow him to charge at the creature and attack it directly.
And then Alder upon feeling the pain of the monster's dark blast knocking him off balance, wished he had something better to fight back with to even the odds. "Alright you son of a...wait why do I feel sluggish?" His body was heavier to move and as he began to approach the creature as it lashed out with a black arm that whipped about he knew he would likely be unable to dodge it. Still, he had his armor and that was going to bring him some protection. Aiming for a "strong offense is a strong defense" approach Alder ran as fast as his body would allow him to charge at the creature and attack it directly.
Torrin blinked at Aria, paying attention to what she did while being a little amused at how she described it all. It sounded more complicated than what he was sure it was but just listening to the instructions was nice. "I don't see anything wrong with eating a bar of melted chocolate." He muttered, folding his arms over his chest while waiting for the drink to be prepared. Torrin eyed Illiana, almost cringing at the nickname she gave him, and combed some of his hair out of his face before leaning against the counter. "Don't give me a nickname. And yes, I am concerned about a great many things. Everyone being in top shape, the status of the worlds, the Princesses of Heart, getting more chocolate, and not being called Torri." Torrin stepped over towards Take to watch the boy as he began working on some pancakes while practically chugging the mug of hot chocolate he had just received from Aria. Sure it burned a little but the sweet taste of chocolate and the fresh cool whip on top was worth it. Torrin wiped off the bit of cool whip that remained on his lips with a napkin and eyed the others around for a moment still feeling a little self-conscious about the question Take wanted him to finish. Neither Aria nor Take would judge him but he was certain Illiana would, Boreas could go either way on that, and he wasn't too sure about the remaining others. "It's just...you said there were dragons on your homeworld, right?" Torrin lowered his voice. "There was just this story my mother used to tell me when I was little about a scaleless fluffy four-winged white dragon known as a Flammie. They're supposed to be peaceful so...I don't know. Was there anything like that over there?"
Torrin blinked at Aria, paying attention to what she did while being a little amused at how she described it all. It sounded more complicated than what he was sure it was but just listening to the instructions was nice. "I don't see anything wrong with eating a bar of melted chocolate." He muttered, folding his arms over his chest while waiting for the drink to be prepared. Torrin eyed Illiana, almost cringing at the nickname she gave him, and combed some of his hair out of his face before leaning against the counter. "Don't give me a nickname. And yes, I am concerned about a great many things. Everyone being in top shape, the status of the worlds, the Princesses of Heart, getting more chocolate, and not being called Torri." Torrin stepped over towards Take to watch the boy as he began working on some pancakes while practically chugging the mug of hot chocolate he had just received from Aria. Sure it burned a little but the sweet taste of chocolate and the fresh cool whip on top was worth it. Torrin wiped off the bit of cool whip that remained on his lips with a napkin and eyed the others around for a moment still feeling a little self-conscious about the question Take wanted him to finish. Neither Aria nor Take would judge him but he was certain Illiana would, Boreas could go either way on that, and he wasn't too sure about the remaining others. "It's just...you said there were dragons on your homeworld, right?" Torrin lowered his voice. "There was just this story my mother used to tell me when I was little about a scaleless fluffy four-winged white dragon known as a Flammie. They're supposed to be peaceful so...I don't know. Was there anything like that over there?"
Torrin averted his eyes when Tinarah entered the room, feeling the discomfort emanating from the girl. His mood dropped at the reminder of what another version of himself had done. Torrin stood up and walked closer towards Take, frowning slightly at the burnt chocolate and shaking his head. Disappointed, he took a look at the ingredients and thought about the creation of hot chocolate for a moment. "What if I take a cup, pour some chocolate in, and heat that up? Would that work?" He spoke with a serious tone. "Sugar was...rare back home. I didn't even know chocolate could be mixed with milk to make something like that." Torrin glanced over at Boreas and showed a faint smile. "Better than me? I've found more effective ways to train than running around." Was it still considered training if one was fighting for their life? If not, then he was straight up lying. "It sure feels good to be back at full power." He nodded in agreement to the rest being beneficial. Torrin raised an eyebrow at Illiana's comment on her homeworld and her use of alcohol which made him shrug. "Even if it doesn't get you drunk, I don't recommend taking anything that could affect your mind during a war." To him this entire situation had been a war that had been going on for a year. Perhaps a personal war but a war nonetheless.
Torrin averted his eyes when Tinarah entered the room, feeling the discomfort emanating from the girl. His mood dropped at the reminder of what another version of himself had done. Torrin stood up and walked closer towards Take, frowning slightly at the burnt chocolate and shaking his head. Disappointed, he took a look at the ingredients and thought about the creation of hot chocolate for a moment. "What if I take a cup, pour some chocolate in, and heat that up? Would that work?" He spoke with a serious tone. "Sugar was...rare back home. I didn't even know chocolate could be mixed with milk to make something like that." Torrin glanced over at Boreas and showed a faint smile. "Better than me? I've found more effective ways to train than running around." Was it still considered training if one was fighting for their life? If not, then he was straight up lying. "It sure feels good to be back at full power." He nodded in agreement to the rest being beneficial. Torrin raised an eyebrow at Illiana's comment on her homeworld and her use of alcohol which made him shrug. "Even if it doesn't get you drunk, I don't recommend taking anything that could affect your mind during a war." To him this entire situation had been a war that had been going on for a year. Perhaps a personal war but a war nonetheless.
Torrin glanced over at Aria, raising an eyebrow wondering when she had gone to sleep here. He waved at Aria. "Good morning. Wait don't start yawn–" Torrin covered his mouth to suppress a yawn and afterwards he narrowed his eyes at Aria. "Thanks for that." Torrin said with a slight hint of playfulness to it. He ran his hand through his hair and headed over towards Take. "I'm good. Ready to fight. What about you, Aria? And Take?" "Cocoa would be great. It's that chocolatey sweet stuff right?" He folded his arms and blinked, thinking back to Take's mention of dragons and his eyes lit up. "Hey by any chance–" Boreas and Glyde walked in from different directions. Torrin cut himself off mid-sentence now feeling self-conscious about his question. He sat on a chair and quickly went on to the next subject, dropping any further mention of dragons. "Seems like you kept to your routine, Boreas. That's good." His eyes shifted over towards Glyde and Torrin gave the boy a quick nod. "Morning."
Torrin glanced over at Aria, raising an eyebrow wondering when she had gone to sleep here. He waved at Aria. "Good morning. Wait don't start yawn–" Torrin covered his mouth to suppress a yawn and afterwards he narrowed his eyes at Aria. "Thanks for that." Torrin said with a slight hint of playfulness to it. He ran his hand through his hair and headed over towards Take. "I'm good. Ready to fight. What about you, Aria? And Take?" "Cocoa would be great. It's that chocolatey sweet stuff right?" He folded his arms and blinked, thinking back to Take's mention of dragons and his eyes lit up. "Hey by any chance–" Boreas and Glyde walked in from different directions. Torrin cut himself off mid-sentence now feeling self-conscious about his question. He sat on a chair and quickly went on to the next subject, dropping any further mention of dragons. "Seems like you kept to your routine, Boreas. That's good." His eyes shifted over towards Glyde and Torrin gave the boy a quick nod. "Morning."
Aster grabbed the collar of Kaio and shoved the master to the wall. "Adalric is dead. The Council made the wrong call." "Get your hands off me." Kaio slapped Aster's hands away and began to straighten his coat. "I'm sorry for your loss, Aster. The boy was a fine apprentice from what I knew of him and a skilled keyblade wielder." He spoke with some sense of remorse. "We made the only choice we could and if he didn't die there he would have been in just as much danger down the road." "You don't know anything about loss. I had to leave my family behind for the Council. Now my student is dead because you sent him to fight a war!" "The blame for his death would lie with me. The plan was mine, after all." Gero stepped in and, though she knew it was true, she couldn't bring herself to express such strong anger at her elder. "I-I...I'll be with Atmos if anyone needs me." Crumbled pieces of a communicator dropped from her hand as she quickly left the hall. And Night Turns To Day... Torrin desummoned his keyblade and slid off his bed, feeling better after his meditation. There were no screams from Aria this night which was a good sign leaving him grateful that things didn't get worse. His hands had healed some more overnight and his magic had been restored to its normal state. He could still sense a deep darkness from within the core of this world but was optimistic for once on their chances of fixing the damage done to the fractured world. He raised one hand out in front of him, blackness swirling around his fingers as his voice lowered into a low and smooth tone. "Come to me, darkness. Together we shall bring in a new world order and usher in a new era of night where the light shall shine no longer." The darkness disappeared from his hand and Torrin cleared his throat and rolled his eyes. "Jeez...is that really how the other me hears himself? Good to know I can't stand hearing myself talk like that." He mused, glad to feel that any chance of him going evil were slim to none. Nothing to worry about. Torrin left his room early that morning glancing over at Aria's door before moving on to see that someone else had taken to not sleeping as well. He had heard the shuffling overnight but thought little of it, knowing it to have been someone from their group. Now he saw that it was Take. The living room had been cleaned, robotic parts were gone, and everything seemed to be in its place more or less. The window was still gone but Take had no way of replacing it. At that point, Take was just sitting on the couch sipping tea. He looked over at Torrin and raised up a hand in hello before placing it down and refocusing on his tea and staring at the sunrise watching the other buildings be repaired. "Looks like you were busy. Good work cleaning this up. You know by cleaning up this world's mess...it's not supposed to be literal, right?"
Aster grabbed the collar of Kaio and shoved the master to the wall. "Adalric is dead. The Council made the wrong call." "Get your hands off me." Kaio slapped Aster's hands away and began to straighten his coat. "I'm sorry for your loss, Aster. The boy was a fine apprentice from what I knew of him and a skilled keyblade wielder." He spoke with some sense of remorse. "We made the only choice we could and if he didn't die there he would have been in just as much danger down the road." "You don't know anything about loss. I had to leave my family behind for the Council. Now my student is dead because you sent him to fight a war!" "The blame for his death would lie with me. The plan was mine, after all." Gero stepped in and, though she knew it was true, she couldn't bring herself to express such strong anger at her elder. "I-I...I'll be with Atmos if anyone needs me." Crumbled pieces of a communicator dropped from her hand as she quickly left the hall.
Torrin desummoned his keyblade and slid off his bed, feeling better after his meditation. There were no screams from Aria this night which was a good sign leaving him grateful that things didn't get worse. His hands had healed some more overnight and his magic had been restored to its normal state. He could still sense a deep darkness from within the core of this world but was optimistic for once on their chances of fixing the damage done to the fractured world. He raised one hand out in front of him, blackness swirling around his fingers as his voice lowered into a low and smooth tone. "Come to me, darkness. Together we shall bring in a new world order and usher in a new era of night where the light shall shine no longer." The darkness disappeared from his hand and Torrin cleared his throat and rolled his eyes. "Jeez...is that really how the other me hears himself? Good to know I can't stand hearing myself talk like that." He mused, glad to feel that any chance of him going evil were slim to none. Nothing to worry about. Torrin left his room early that morning glancing over at Aria's door before moving on to see that someone else had taken to not sleeping as well. He had heard the shuffling overnight but thought little of it, knowing it to have been someone from their group. Now he saw that it was Take. The living room had been cleaned, robotic parts were gone, and everything seemed to be in its place more or less. The window was still gone but Take had no way of replacing it. At that point, Take was just sitting on the couch sipping tea. He looked over at Torrin and raised up a hand in hello before placing it down and refocusing on his tea and staring at the sunrise watching the other buildings be repaired. "Looks like you were busy. Good work cleaning this up. You know by cleaning up this world's mess...it's not supposed to be literal, right?"
He smiled faintly and chuckled out of amusement over the predicament fate had placed him in. Torrin reached out and took Aria's hand in his gently. He turned it over and then opened her hand before using his other to place the ring he had been carrying with him all this time in her palm. "I believe this belongs to you, Aria Dorin. I've been carrying this for some time now and I guess I was meant to return it to you. Despite all that's happened, I've never lost it. I don't believe in signs but...I honestly don't know what to call this. Small realm, right?" She was at first befuddled when he took her hand suddenly, and then placed an object within it. Aria blinked and then glanced down to see what Torrin had given her. She gasped at the sight and held up the ring to see better, examining the purple-like stone and the silver band around it. "Where... How...?" Her eyes welled up with tears and she suddenly gave Torrin a hug. After everything she had gone through the last few days, she needed this pick-me-up. "I thought I lost this for good! Oops," she realized she probably was hurting him and pulled away quickly. "S-Sorry." She laughed nervously and held the ring up to her chest, holding it close to her. "Thank you so much..." Torrin froze when Aria hugged him and slowly rose an arm to return the favor but felt awkward in doing so. Despite being unaware of how to return a hug that he had not instigated, he was still more than glad that Aria had cheered up when she received the ring. "Don't be sorry. Sometimes you gotta give the old lungs a squeeze to make sure they're working right." No one said that. Ever. In fact, that was the exact opposite of how one kept their lungs working properly. "I'm happy to be the one to give it to you." He rubbed his cheek, feeling a pain come to his face from having smiled just a little too much. Glaring and brooding was just so much easier to maintain. "Do you need a necklace with that or...are you going to wear it? I mean it goes with your hair...not that it means much coming from the guy wearing mostly black." "Hm..." Aria tested each finger out on both hands until she found it worked on her right index finger the best. "Oh hey, it fits now." She giggled to herself as she admired it on her hand and then looked to Torrin, hunching her shoulders with an almost cheesy grin. "I'm kind of afraid to put it as a necklace. I mean, now I'm actually doing battles and stuff. I don't want the chain to break again." She then glanced outside to see that it was getting late and cleared her throat. "I guess I should try to sleep... I don't know if I can, but I didn't sleep much last night and I can only do that for so long." She absently rubbed at her neck before realizing what she was doing and lowered it. "Maybe... totem carrying will actually work. Or maybe the Nightmare won't come out at all tonight. At least that's hopeful thinking, but you know me. I'm Ms. Optimism no one takes seriously," she said as she forced a smile and made a fist, raising it across her chest in a gesture that she was joking around. "I hope so. Really. I hope it can help. Even if it just serves as a reminder for you to wake up." Torrin reached over to the torn and burnt costume of his laying on the bed and ran his hands against it, turning over the fabric as he stretched the outfit out. Finally he muttered a "got'cha" when he plucked the communicator from the costume and handed it over to Aria. The communicator itself looked a little scratched and singed but otherwise was no worse for wear. "I'll be staying behind here to clean up this mess. I can't promise I'll be there the next time things go bad for you, and I hope they don't, but I can promise that I'll always be around to listen. ...I just need to borrow another communicator from Thallasa." Aria took the communicator carefully in her hands and examined it closely. "Isn't this like an open line though?" she asked with a little smile. "Like the Masters back in the castle can hear what we talk about, along with Boreas and Master Thallasa too." "Hm...it would be a little short-sighted if there wasn't another setting..." He scooted a little closer and took the device back from Aria to look at it a little more carefully and, sure enough, by the hairline seam that connected the badge's two halves together, there was a small dial with a tiny white band across it that he found could be rotated by nudging it with his nail. As he did so, he felt the dial click softly in his fingers. With one click the next band that appeared was red. The next, yellow. Then green, blue, purple, black, and right back to white. "I don't think this is a volume setting. A channel selector perhaps? ...Maybe only those of the same color can communicate with each other. I suppose the Council was never too concerned about making things more secure than this. Guess they never had a reason to. I guess I'll set my own up with the same color as this one. Let's see, what color..." Looking at Aria's eyes for a moment he glanced back down and rotated it back around to the blue setting. "There. That should do it." He said, handing the device back to Aria. Aria watched with wonder as Torrin worked the tiny communicator. She learned something new in every world, and she had never been so exposed to modern technology until the last few days. It was then Torrin peered at her eyes, and Aria couldn’t help but to lean her head back slightly in surprise, her cheeks flushing from the sudden closeness. When he mentioned a color and started to change it to that, Aria subconsciously reached up to just under her eyes and touched the skin gently. She forgot what color her eyes were exactly, but it seemed kind of sweet if he did actually match the dial to them. She then took the device back and held it in her hand, smiling a bit. “Thanks... It’s going to be weird to be separated from everyone... hopefully it won’t be too long.” Torrin nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Oddly enough it'll feel strange not hearing as many voices around. Looks like trying to go solo again is harder than I thought." He said, referring to the fact that others had chosen to stay behind alongside him. "Just try keep safe out there when it's time to get moving on to the next world. Not just because you're a Princess but..." He shifted in place and reached back in his pocket only to remember he had just given the ring over to Aria. "Just take care of yourself." “I know. I’m reckless, I’m naive, smart but not that smart, and no one can take me seriously,” she named off the titles again with her fingers and then smiled a bit. “I know I can’t rely on this thing too much,” she said as she lifted her wrist with the golden bracelet on it. “But... if the council hasn’t called me back to the castle yet... then maybe there’s still some hope for me left.” She smiled and shrugged her shoulders, hopping off the bed. “Well, I’m gonna try to... sleep. Qamar wants to share a room with me. We’ll see how that goes.” "For what it's worth, I take you seriously. Though I guess I take everything seriously...so...just take it as a compliment?" He waved at Aria as she made for the door. "Good luck dealing with that. Better you than me." He smirked. "Seriously though, sleep well. Good night Aria."
He smiled faintly and chuckled out of amusement over the predicament fate had placed him in. Torrin reached out and took Aria's hand in his gently. He turned it over and then opened her hand before using his other to place the ring he had been carrying with him all this time in her palm. "I believe this belongs to you, Aria Dorin. I've been carrying this for some time now and I guess I was meant to return it to you. Despite all that's happened, I've never lost it. I don't believe in signs but...I honestly don't know what to call this. Small realm, right?" She was at first befuddled when he took her hand suddenly, and then placed an object within it. Aria blinked and then glanced down to see what Torrin had given her. She gasped at the sight and held up the ring to see better, examining the purple-like stone and the silver band around it. "Where... How...?" Her eyes welled up with tears and she suddenly gave Torrin a hug. After everything she had gone through the last few days, she needed this pick-me-up. "I thought I lost this for good! Oops," she realized she probably was hurting him and pulled away quickly. "S-Sorry." She laughed nervously and held the ring up to her chest, holding it close to her. "Thank you so much..." Torrin froze when Aria hugged him and slowly rose an arm to return the favor but felt awkward in doing so. Despite being unaware of how to return a hug that he had not instigated, he was still more than glad that Aria had cheered up when she received the ring. "Don't be sorry. Sometimes you gotta give the old lungs a squeeze to make sure they're working right." No one said that. Ever. In fact, that was the exact opposite of how one kept their lungs working properly. "I'm happy to be the one to give it to you." He rubbed his cheek, feeling a pain come to his face from having smiled just a little too much. Glaring and brooding was just so much easier to maintain. "Do you need a necklace with that or...are you going to wear it? I mean it goes with your hair...not that it means much coming from the guy wearing mostly black." "Hm..." Aria tested each finger out on both hands until she found it worked on her right index finger the best. "Oh hey, it fits now." She giggled to herself as she admired it on her hand and then looked to Torrin, hunching her shoulders with an almost cheesy grin. "I'm kind of afraid to put it as a necklace. I mean, now I'm actually doing battles and stuff. I don't want the chain to break again." She then glanced outside to see that it was getting late and cleared her throat. "I guess I should try to sleep... I don't know if I can, but I didn't sleep much last night and I can only do that for so long." She absently rubbed at her neck before realizing what she was doing and lowered it. "Maybe... totem carrying will actually work. Or maybe the Nightmare won't come out at all tonight. At least that's hopeful thinking, but you know me. I'm Ms. Optimism no one takes seriously," she said as she forced a smile and made a fist, raising it across her chest in a gesture that she was joking around. "I hope so. Really. I hope it can help. Even if it just serves as a reminder for you to wake up." Torrin reached over to the torn and burnt costume of his laying on the bed and ran his hands against it, turning over the fabric as he stretched the outfit out. Finally he muttered a "got'cha" when he plucked the communicator from the costume and handed it over to Aria. The communicator itself looked a little scratched and singed but otherwise was no worse for wear. "I'll be staying behind here to clean up this mess. I can't promise I'll be there the next time things go bad for you, and I hope they don't, but I can promise that I'll always be around to listen. ...I just need to borrow another communicator from Thallasa." Aria took the communicator carefully in her hands and examined it closely. "Isn't this like an open line though?" she asked with a little smile. "Like the Masters back in the castle can hear what we talk about, along with Boreas and Master Thallasa too." "Hm...it would be a little short-sighted if there wasn't another setting..." He scooted a little closer and took the device back from Aria to look at it a little more carefully and, sure enough, by the hairline seam that connected the badge's two halves together, there was a small dial with a tiny white band across it that he found could be rotated by nudging it with his nail. As he did so, he felt the dial click softly in his fingers. With one click the next band that appeared was red. The next, yellow. Then green, blue, purple, black, and right back to white. "I don't think this is a volume setting. A channel selector perhaps? ...Maybe only those of the same color can communicate with each other. I suppose the Council was never too concerned about making things more secure than this. Guess they never had a reason to. I guess I'll set my own up with the same color as this one. Let's see, what color..." Looking at Aria's eyes for a moment he glanced back down and rotated it back around to the blue setting. "There. That should do it." He said, handing the device back to Aria. Aria watched with wonder as Torrin worked the tiny communicator. She learned something new in every world, and she had never been so exposed to modern technology until the last few days. It was then Torrin peered at her eyes, and Aria couldn’t help but to lean her head back slightly in surprise, her cheeks flushing from the sudden closeness. When he mentioned a color and started to change it to that, Aria subconsciously reached up to just under her eyes and touched the skin gently. She forgot what color her eyes were exactly, but it seemed kind of sweet if he did actually match the dial to them. She then took the device back and held it in her hand, smiling a bit. “Thanks... It’s going to be weird to be separated from everyone... hopefully it won’t be too long.” Torrin nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Oddly enough it'll feel strange not hearing as many voices around. Looks like trying to go solo again is harder than I thought." He said, referring to the fact that others had chosen to stay behind alongside him. "Just try keep safe out there when it's time to get moving on to the next world. Not just because you're a Princess but..." He shifted in place and reached back in his pocket only to remember he had just given the ring over to Aria. "Just take care of yourself." “I know. I’m reckless, I’m naive, smart but not that smart, and no one can take me seriously,” she named off the titles again with her fingers and then smiled a bit. “I know I can’t rely on this thing too much,” she said as she lifted her wrist with the golden bracelet on it. “But... if the council hasn’t called me back to the castle yet... then maybe there’s still some hope for me left.” She smiled and shrugged her shoulders, hopping off the bed. “Well, I’m gonna try to... sleep. Qamar wants to share a room with me. We’ll see how that goes.” "For what it's worth, I take you seriously. Though I guess I take everything seriously...so...just take it as a compliment?" He waved at Aria as she made for the door. "Good luck dealing with that. Better you than me." He smirked. "Seriously though, sleep well. Good night Aria."
Having switched out of the suit and into some normal clothing Torrin stopped before putting his coat back on and took another look at his arms. "Hm." He tossed the coat back on the bed and took in a slow deep breath as he held his burnt arms in front of him. "Let's give this a shot..." A green glow surrounded them for a moment but fizzled out almost immediately since his magical reserves had not fully been restored yet. He briefly wondered about relying on another power to quicken his healing but he held off on that for now as there was no pressing need to do so. Torrin reached for his coat and picked it back up, hearing a faint tink as something fell out of one of the pockets. After putting his coat back on he knelt down to retrieve the trinket that had escaped its place in his pocket and flipped the ring over in his fingers. Torrin used the tip of his finger to wipe off a dirty smear on the band to reveal a faint engraving of what was either a single word of a language he did not know or a name. He sat back on the bed as he remembered the chain of events that lead him down this road. Spoiler Episode Torrin Family Sixteen Years Ago Sitting on the chair by his mother's bed the young boy excitedly asked, ""Can you tell the story of the white dragons again?" Torrin's mother raised an eyebrow and tilted her head. "Are you sure you don't want to hear more about the animals that still live here? Flammies have not lived here in many centuries. You know they're just stories, right?" Her face was pale and the softness of her voice clearly showed how weary she was. "I don't care if they're stories!" "There was a time when your father loved stories too." She smiled faintly. "Really?" Torrin took a seat on the bed by his mother as she reached over to the night stand to grab a book. "Mhm. But that is a story for another time." "Awww..." "Are you sure you don't want to go out and play with Nora? Uncle Joch told me that she misses you." "Dad is busy and you're stuck here. I don't want you to be lonely." Torrin smiled. His mother smiled and pulled her son in closer to kiss the top of his head and play with his silver hair. "Never stop being so kind, no matter what." She spoke softly as her son moved in closer to listen to her. "Now...where shall I begin?" "Tell me what Flammies are!" "You already know what they are, Torrin." "But I like hearing it from you." The boy complained. "As you wish, young prince." She took in a deep breath and wrapped an arm around her son. "Legend says that Flammies had the power to travel across worlds for they were beings of neither light nor darkness, they were dragons of pure magic. Unlike dragons of other tales these bore no scales and instead were covered in a thick white fluff and their wings were covered in brilliant white feathers." "They don't sound very threatening at all." "Well according to the old stories, they weren't unless they were protecting the world order." She explained. "They could shoot magic beams out of their mouth!" He threw his arms up in the air. She chuckled. "And where did you hear that?" "Nora told me!" "Well Nora has an active imagination." "She called it their Mega Flare!" "A very active imagination." She reached for a glass of water sitting on the night stand, her hand shaking as it did so only for her to stop midway and rest her hand back on the bed. "Could you pass me the water? I'm very tired." "Mhm." Torrin hopped off the bed to walk around it and take the glass to his mother. "So where are the Flammies now?" "Well no one is sure if they ever existed in the first place." As she raised the glass to her lips she entered a coughing fit and curled up in pain, the glass falling out of her hand and shattering on the floor. Over the next few panicked seconds of the boy's memory were filled with those of a doctor and nurse hurrying him out of the room and locking the door behind them to tend to his mother while he stared intently at the door, frozen. Hours passed and eventually his uncle had arrived to speak with his father about his mother's condition. Though he was supposed to be in his room and not listening Torrin peeked his head out to eavesdrop on part of their conversation. "Errin they're moving as quickly as they can. They convoy will get here." "We're running out of time! My wife is in there with no hope of recovery unless she gets that medicine." "Don't you think I know that? She's my little sister!" "We should have destroyed that damned Heartless years ago. It cut off our main route and...and now I'm afraid they'll never make it back in time. I should go. By glider maybe I can make it there and back before it's too late." "No! You need to stay here with your wife and your son. I...I shouldn't do this...not when so many count on me to be here but I can go myself. The war will have to wait. I will track them down and bring the medicine back." "Alright...fly safe, Joch." That night Joch had returned with medicine in hand. Torrin had fallen asleep on the chair at his mother's bedside. When he had awoken his mother was no longer in bed. The medicine had been administered but by then her condition had become irreversible and she had passed away in her sleep. Six Years Ago "Is that...mother's ring?" Torrin looked down at the black ring with a bright purple gem embedded in it as his father held it out for him to take. "Yes. Yes it is. I gave it to her when I was two years older than you are now. Your uncles weren't too keen with their best friend marrying their baby sister but after I asked them to think of a more honorable man they could bring into their family and hearing their silence, they warmed up to the idea." Scratching the back of his head Torrin tilted his head to the side as he took the ring. "That doesn't explain why you're handing me the ring. I'm not marrying anyone any time soon." "Perhaps. But I've learned that you've found a second sparring partner. A girl. It was about time you made a friend other than Boreas." Confused, Torrin asked, "So what? I figured I could learn something new instead of sparring with just Boreas. Especially since Nora and Holt don't want to do that with me anymore..." Torrin flipped the ring over in his fingers, admiring the black piece of jewelry. "Sarah Cornellia, correct? Not her younger sister?" "Her younger sister is Cade's age. I wouldn't fight an eight year old, father. There's no honor in that." Though he did find the thought of it funny. "Her house had been split in two because of this war. They're a noble family with the potential for a great deal of influence. Your uncle Joch and I thought–" "Wait what? You brought Uncle Joch in on it too? Why? How many people know I've been sparring with her?" "Six. I'm going to force you to marry the girl in a year as I would never ask you to bond with someone you do not love but the fact is, marrying to her family could put you into a position, when you are king, to talk with the Cornellias on the other side of the war and call for peace." "I...what? I don't even know if I'd even consider her a friend! Why the hell are people going behind my back talking about using me in some damn political move? Seriously!?" "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that but people of our status have to be aware of more than our own wants and how our actions can affect those around us." "No one should care who I spend my time with! Let alone jump to wedding planning!" "There's no wedding planning happening Torrin, calm down. The only thing we discussed was the possibility of–" "I...I need some air. We can talk later." Torrin left before his father could say another word, leaving the ring behind on the way out. He wandered in the direction of the armory, hoping to find Boreas and instead came across two officers discussing the current state of affairs. No one else was there and the two officers, after bowing their heads respectfully towards Torrin, continued their conversation while he paced around to absentmindedly stare at the swords and polearms in the room. "So...have you heard?" "That's vague. Heard what?" "Main supply line has been cut off again." "Enemy forces?" "No. Heartless. Word is, its the same one that's popped up a few times over the years." "Never heard of it." "Really? Body made of obsidian? Wings the size of a tower? Eyes red as blood?" "I think I would have heard of something like that before. Are you pulling my leg?" "No! I swear on my honor it's true! Just ask–hey...wasn't the Prince here? Where'd he go?" Torrin had taken to the skies on his glider. It didn't matter to him if it was the same Heartless or not, the story was all too familiar to him and this time around he had the power to do something about it. The Next Day Waking up to several broken ribs was not a pleasant experience to say the least. After an prolonged aerial battle with the most colossal Heartless he had ever seen Torrin had found that none of his attacks had so much as scratched it. He had landed on the creature to find a weak point as it began to fly away out of sheer annoyance by his presence only to be blasted off by a powerful burst of magical energy. His father was the first to pay him a visit. Torrin struggled to sit up groaned in pain as he did so. "How could you be so stupid? What were you thinking disappearing like that? One of our patrols found you near death before we even knew you were missing!" "Guess I was stealthier than I thought." Torrin smirked. "This isn't a joke. What if you had died? Your responsibility to our people is more important than your thirst for glory!" Errin shouted. "I heard there was a Heartless cutting off our supply lines. I went after it and solved the problem." "And did you kill it?" His father folded his arms and looked at him sternly. "Well if you wanna get technical about it...I...uh...moved it?" Torrin shrugged. "You nearly got yourself killed for a mission that you could not even complete? Why did you even go after it in the first place?" "You know why." Torrin looked down at his bandaged hands. "So that's what this is about..." His father rubbed the bridge of his nose and let out a long sigh. "Your mother would not have wanted you putting your life on the line for revenge." "It wasn't revenge. I just thought what if someone else was in our situation? What if one day made a difference for someone else's life? It wasn't revenge. It was–" "Self-righteousness. You survived because you got lucky. I expect better from you, son." "Yeah...me too..." He whispered to himself as his father left the room. During his recovery the visits from his family were even less pleasant. His uncle, King Joch, berated his recklessness. His older cousin Nora came in to check if he was still in one piece and left without another word. Her brothers Holt, a year younger than Torrin, and Cade, only eight years old at the time, visited only to express their confusion as to why he was worthy to wield a keyblade yet none of them were. Though he did not see their faces he heard the voices of his cousins Roan and Quinna. They were the children of the estranged younger brother of Joch. Roan was older than Nora and from what he could hear in the angered voices outside the hall, the royal advisor was present as well. The trio were discussing the possibility of making an exception to the rule so that either Roan or Nora could ascend to the throne instead of Torrin who they believed was unstable and, in Quinna's own words, dishonored their traditions and made a mockery of the keyblade with every breath he took. By the time he had fully recovered a week had passed and Torrin had spent enough time bedridden to find a sense of clarity which he had never had before. Feeling that his family might never accept him, knowing that he was not worthy of the throne, unwilling to allow himself to order others to die in battle, and still unsure of why the keyblade had ever chosen him, Torrin planned to leave the Realm of Darkness. Thallasa touched her hand to Takehiko and Tinarah's foreheads as a green light surged from her palms and washed over the two young keyblade wielders, powerful magic coursing through their veins. After several seconds Thallasa pulled away and nodded at the two. "Why heal one at a time when I can do two?" She spoke with a hint of humor in her voice. She smiled at the two and sighed out in relief glad that her magic was back to normal. "Get some rest, both of you." Hearing Qamar and Aria speak about wounds and being patched up, she headed over towards them. "Plenty of magic to spare. Let's get you taken care of first." Thallasa gingerly touched her hand to Aria's stomach. Putting in a little more effort she drew on even more of her magic to heal Aria's wound. The stitching Boreas left behind disintegrated and the wound closed. "There. That should be the end of that problem. Though Boreas's handiwork was better than I expected. Interesting." Thallasa went over to Qamar and, using the same posture as she did for Takehiko and Tinarah, she put her hand to Qamar's forehead and cast another powerful Cure spell to heal the girl. She took the communicator from Qamar and looked it over. "I don't believe it's broken...but the Council is often busy. Perhaps they have other matters to attend to. Either way, you both should head to sleep and recover after the long day we've had." The Light Chaser began to pace as he started to speak, calmly enunciating each word with utter confidence and with a weight that came with personal experience. "Ah. So you've seen her for yourself. That was my doing, yes. The mechanics of that are beyond your understanding but essentially when I opened a portal for her to leave, I had prepared a doorway to another realm. It's almost amusing how shortsighted everyone else has been by allowing her, a child with mediocre skills at best, to travel to worlds ravaged by darkness. She would have died if I had not placed her in another realm where time flowed differently. Though that was not the only reason I sent her there. It also had the added benefit of being able to draw out our primary enemies, The Council of Lights, a group of backward thinking keyblade masters who have allowed worlds to fall into darkness merely for the sake of preserving some arbitrary balance they believe to be the world order."
Having switched out of the suit and into some normal clothing Torrin stopped before putting his coat back on and took another look at his arms. "Hm." He tossed the coat back on the bed and took in a slow deep breath as he held his burnt arms in front of him. "Let's give this a shot..." A green glow surrounded them for a moment but fizzled out almost immediately since his magical reserves had not fully been restored yet. He briefly wondered about relying on another power to quicken his healing but he held off on that for now as there was no pressing need to do so. Torrin reached for his coat and picked it back up, hearing a faint tink as something fell out of one of the pockets. After putting his coat back on he knelt down to retrieve the trinket that had escaped its place in his pocket and flipped the ring over in his fingers. Torrin used the tip of his finger to wipe off a dirty smear on the band to reveal a faint engraving of what was either a single word of a language he did not know or a name. He sat back on the bed as he remembered the chain of events that lead him down this road.
Thallasa touched her hand to Takehiko and Tinarah's foreheads as a green light surged from her palms and washed over the two young keyblade wielders, powerful magic coursing through their veins. After several seconds Thallasa pulled away and nodded at the two. "Why heal one at a time when I can do two?" She spoke with a hint of humor in her voice. She smiled at the two and sighed out in relief glad that her magic was back to normal. "Get some rest, both of you." Hearing Qamar and Aria speak about wounds and being patched up, she headed over towards them. "Plenty of magic to spare. Let's get you taken care of first." Thallasa gingerly touched her hand to Aria's stomach. Putting in a little more effort she drew on even more of her magic to heal Aria's wound. The stitching Boreas left behind disintegrated and the wound closed. "There. That should be the end of that problem. Though Boreas's handiwork was better than I expected. Interesting." Thallasa went over to Qamar and, using the same posture as she did for Takehiko and Tinarah, she put her hand to Qamar's forehead and cast another powerful Cure spell to heal the girl. She took the communicator from Qamar and looked it over. "I don't believe it's broken...but the Council is often busy. Perhaps they have other matters to attend to. Either way, you both should head to sleep and recover after the long day we've had."
The Light Chaser began to pace as he started to speak, calmly enunciating each word with utter confidence and with a weight that came with personal experience. "Ah. So you've seen her for yourself. That was my doing, yes. The mechanics of that are beyond your understanding but essentially when I opened a portal for her to leave, I had prepared a doorway to another realm. It's almost amusing how shortsighted everyone else has been by allowing her, a child with mediocre skills at best, to travel to worlds ravaged by darkness. She would have died if I had not placed her in another realm where time flowed differently. Though that was not the only reason I sent her there. It also had the added benefit of being able to draw out our primary enemies, The Council of Lights, a group of backward thinking keyblade masters who have allowed worlds to fall into darkness merely for the sake of preserving some arbitrary balance they believe to be the world order."
