jikan_rpg | [CLOSED] A heavenly assignment

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[CLOSED] A heavenly assignment

⌛ Who: Azem (

starshepard), Emet-Selch (

emet_sulk), and Rhea'li (

lightduties)
⌛ What: Three refugees receive a heavenly assignment in which they fix fractured souls
⌛ When: Early December
⌛ Where: The Western Paradise
⌛ Warnings: FFXIV Shadowbringers/Endwalker spoilers all the way down, probably

Rhea'li is no stranger to odd requests, so he thinks nothing of it when he wakes after a strange dream and a golden train ticket in his hands. It wouldn't be the first time a god-like being has called to him in his sleep...

Which is how he ends up in the Western Paradise with a number of other refugees summoned to help return souls fractured and ripped from their bodies by the timeloops back to their rightful place. When he hears that, Rhea'li winces, thinking of his own soul, the sundered nature of it and the re-fracture of it in recent days.

It can be a little tricky for others to spot Rhea'li in the gaggle of refugees who had been summoned to help with the situation in the Western Paradise (being as short as he is), but he can certainly spot the two ancients amongst the crowd as Inari Okami teaches them how to properly wield Kizuna to complete their task. Without hesitation, Rhea'li bonds with another refugee -- a stranger as suggested -- before gently breaking it, the magic coming easily to him. Mayhaps the ease has something to do with its similarities to the echo, even though he has little control over the latter?

The lesson complete, the refugees are allowed to disperse to complete the task of aiding the lost and fractured souls, though not without a warning; particularly malevolent lost souls can influence or corrupt those who attempt to help them, possibly even possess them. So it would best to not travel alone, so that another can assist in removing the malevolence.

It's with that in mind that Rhea'li keeps an eye out for Emet-Selch and Azem as the other refugees begin to disperse, waving as he approaches.

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Azem wants to comfort the spirit, the only reason they put them down was to transform but now they feel a little bad about it. At least Rhea'li steps in and calms them down. "We will return ere long, little one," they say in the more reassuring tone they can, difficult given their transformation's voice.

They lower a hand for Rhea'li to climb on while they pout at Hades for summoning Grani. "Let us be off then." They take to the air as well, large feathered wings unfurling behind them they launch themself forward. They take care to hold Rhea'li close so that he's not too jostled by the take-off.

"Tell me of this dragon. Do you know its weaknesses?" Something they can strike easily at to make quick work of it would be nice. Not that Azem wouldn't enjoy a longer and more difficult battle.

Mayhap it was because Azem and Emet-Selch had come back before, but the spirit quietly nods and lets them depart, curling up small as he waits.

It won't be the first time Rhea'li has ridden a being much, much larger than himself through the skies, and it certainly seems it won't be the last.

"It has the power to corrupt the minds of those who approach it by releasing a wave of aether, but I can protect you from it." He thinks. Maybe. No, he will. "Naught short of fighting until it can no longer hold its form will destroy it."

Rhea'li tightens his grip on Azem's fingers as they soar higher.

"We will bring it down by coordinated attacks from multiple sides. It is but a simulacrum of aether, born from suffering. It knows only rage, all semblance of thought driven from it." He presses his forehead against Azem's hand. "The dragon it mimicks, Bahamut, was slain long ago."

Hades is silent while Rhea'li explains. Grani easily keeps pace with Azem, its smaller size enabling it to weave around the streaks of fire Bahamut rains upon Eorzea. Lahabrea had given them all an account of the destruction afterwards, but even the old man's vivid description - exaggerated at the time, he thought - does not do the real event justice.

"Although I am unsure it will help," Hades interjects tersely, "the power of dragons is contained mostly in their eyes. Remove them and you will cripple the creature. Given that this merely a recreation, however, we may not be so fortunate."

"So we need only exhaust the aether holding it together," Azem says in a thoughtful tone.

Several of their eyes turn toward Hades, while a few remain focused on Rhea'li and the rest on the target ahead of them. "'Tis as good a plan as any. I will go for the eyes first and see how well we fair after. I'm sure they'll make a tasty treat either way." The grin menacingly.

Their next target would be to rip the wings from its back and ground it if possible. Without a clear weakness to exploit beating it to a pulp is the best Azem can hope to do.

A tasty treat? He supposes dragon's eyes could be a delicacy, if they weren't attached to sapient beings.

Rhea'li raises his grimoire, streams of aether flowing to him as he drains energy from the primal.

"My magic creates constructs of beings I have fought before." He looks grimly up at the primal of Bahamut, his book's wings coalescing into purple light. "So do not be alarmed."

He summons demi-Bahamut using the aether stolen from the primal, the significantly smaller construct roaring ahead of them and blasting the primal with a beam of energy aimed at its haunches.

Urging Grani forward, he raises his free hand and flings a shadowy blast at the...surprisingly massive dragon. He had known Bahamut would be enormous, yet he had never actually stood up close to the creature himself to appreciate its sheer scale compared to a single man. Now he realises that perhaps bringing a mere sword to the fight is woefully inadequate.

Still, he makes an attempt. He tries to cleave his sword against the dragon primal's scales. The impact does little more than offer a loud, grating, metallic ring.

They let Hades go ahead, keeping an eye on him and the dragon, trying to work out the best plan of attack. Clearly, the blade won't be enough, the beast is well-armored. They could potentially help with that if they can get their claws beneath the scales and tear them away.

Still, the eyes are their first target. Even if doesn't weaken Bahamut, it should, at least, blind him.

"Rhea'li, is there any way I can release you somewhere? I require all of my hands free." That and they don't want to jostle or drop him.

Rhea'li can't help but stare after Emet-Selch in stunned bemusement. Really? You're going to take a dinky sword to a dragon fight?

"Give me to Emet-Selch. I will borrow his steed." Rhea'li doesn't quite roll his eyes but his slightly exasperated sigh voices it. "He ought to know better than to fight Bahamut like that."

What happened to the powerful transformation that had taken him in the depths of the recreated Amaurot? Surely Emet-Selch doesn't deem Bahamut a lesser threat than himself?

Meanwhile, demi-Bahamut furls its wings and releases a barrage of energy at the real-recreated Bahamut, hassling the huge dragon into turning its attention to the construct.

Says the boy who is using a mammet-sized copy against the real thing--

Hades doesn't hear the comment over his attempts to blast the dragon with his own magic. Grani nimbly prances through the air out of the way of the streaking lasers. At one point, it even rears up and kicks its clawed feet at the massive dragon. Sparks scatter from the strike - but leave no mark.

Frustrated, Hades urges Grani back to Azem.

"I am going to transform as well!" Hades shouts down at the pair as he circles. "Do you think you can handle my familiar, Rhea'li?"

"Very well." They begin to make their way toward Hades when he comes to them. They let out a little laugh as lower their hand so that Rhea'li can climb on Grani. "We had a similar plan, though less of you transforming."

Once Azem's hands are free they grin, baring their sharp teeth. "I will go on ahead." At the very least, they can act as a distraction while Rhea'li and Hades get themselves sorted out.

With that, they shoot up into the air a ways before divebombing Bahamut. Claws scrabble against scales, aiming to tear a few away while a few of their other hands go for the head. Claws aim for the eyes, hoping to rip them free. Bahamut, naturally, doesn't take well to all of this. The dragon bucks and bellows, trying to throw Azem's smaller form off. He manages to do, but not before Azem gets away with at least one prized.

A triumphant laugh can be heard from them as they plummet to the earth below. They land in a cloud of dust and remain there for a moment.

Rhea'li imagines a familiar created by Emet-Selch would be quite prideful, but also as steady and reliable as rock. With a nod, he leaves Azem's hand and clambers onto Grani, patting the side of the armoured horse(?) -- who gives him a witheringly baleful look -- as Azem takes off to attack Bahamut, eventually succeeding in ripping out an eye before plummetting to the earth.

Bahamut roars in rage, blasts of aether spewing forth erratically as the primal writhes, but the power behind the creature is noticeably less intense than before. It seems attacking the eyes, even for a construct such as this, has some effect.

Rhea'li looks down after Azem, laughing in incredulity. "Are they always like this?"

He's certainly done some outrageous things but even he isn't quite so reckless; knowing the fragility of his life does make him think (sometimes) before leaping. Still, he's not about to leave Azem open like that. With demi-Bahamut disintegrating from the unstable aether powering it dissipating, Rhea'li raises his hand and pulls more aether from the massive dragon.

With a snap of his fingers, a fully formed construct of Titan drops from the sky like a comet speeding towards the back of Bahamut, the roar from the dragon as it twists and turns to throw Titan off giving Emet-Selch an opening.

He grunts, not the least bit concerned about Azem's fall.

"I forgot how reckless they could be," he grumbles. A snap of his fingers and he floats off Grani, allowing Rhea'li a proper seat on his familiar's back. He channels the vast aether within him and feeds it back to himself, growing larger, taller, darker skinned - until finally he is the mage Rhea'li initially fought down in the depths of the Tempest.

This is Emet-Selch, the mage of the Underworld. In one hand he still grasps his sword (a mere dagger at his current size); in the other, he holds...a different staff to before. It looks more akin to a traditional black mage staff, with a deep indigo crystal orb set in the top. With it, he flings powerful magic against the primal Bahamut. Most of his spells are directed at its face.

"Distract it so I can tear out its other eye," he growls to Rhea'li before soaring upwards.

Once they've recovered, they go about their plan of devouring the eye. It's not nearly as tasty as they'd hoped but they can feel the aether in it as it settles in their belly. It burns, potent, and perhaps just what they need to deal with this dragon.

They launch themself once more into the air.

"Before you go for the other eye, allow me to try something."

They don't use their glare or petrify magic often, mostly because it's not nearly as potent when not in their current form. They're not even sure how effective it will be again Bahamut, if at all, but they do know he needs at least one eye left for it to have a chance.

As long as Hades continues to pelt the dragon in the face with spells Azem is able to get into his line of sight and spread their wings wide. "I suggest you look away lest ye be stunned." That's the only warning they give before all eyes go wide across their body and unleash the duel spells.

"I know not how long that'll hold so be quick!"

Similarly created from unstable aether stolen from the primal, Titan quickly dissipates, its job of both damaging and distracting Bahamut done.

With the warning from Azem, Rhea'li looks away, Grani doing the same. Bahamut, even with one eye missing, is not so lucky. Though Bahamut, even as a primal, would ordinarily shrug off such magic, the power of one unsundered and the power from its other eye lends the spells an extraordinary strength. With a roar, Bahamut shakes its head wildly in an attempt to shake off the stunning effects, great wings curling protectively around the rest of its body.

Seeing as Azem is doing a perfectly fine job of distracting Bahamut, Rhea'li pulls more aether from Bahamut. Looking up at both Azem and Emet-Selch fighting the memory of the primal Bahamut, a surge of emotion he cannot quite explain brings with it energy. In the back of his mind, can feel the bond with the spirit lending him strength, too. Taking a deep breath, he begins to tap into that energy, his grimoire floating before him.

Hades squeezes his eyes shut just in time. A moment later, Bahamut's roar shudders through him and he immediately thrusts his staff forward. Dark, writhing energy gathers before the crystal focus. He fires rapidly at Bahamut's wings, trying to force the great dragon to give one of them an opening to rip out its second eye.

Azem's exhilaration at the fight - somewhat muted with their bond in its infancy - courses through him. His sword gleams with a bright, golden hue.

"There is no use hiding!" he growls, before flinging the sword forward. Such a small, simple thing he easily controls with his magicks. It pierces the wing covering Bahamut's remaining eye and begins to slash through the membrane.

With Hades busy with the wings and remaining eye, Azem goes for the chest and belly area. Claws scrabble and scratch over the scales as they try to tear them away and get at the soft flesh below. It's not an impossible task, or it wouldn't be if the dragon wasn't thrashing around so much.

Still, they do what they can to keep the dragon distracted while adding more damage.

With Grani bearing him aloft, Rhea'li goes unnoticed. For with two transformed ancients occupying the dragon's attention so wholly, who would pay attention to a small miqo'te borne on the back of a flying horse(?)?

Tapping into his bond with the spirit, drawing strength from his two ancient friends, Rhea'li breaks his limits, as only a true Warrior of Light could. Wings of aether unfurl behind him, the shadow of Bahamut overtaking him.

It is Bahamut's own attack, Teraflare, near as powerful as the one from the primal itself, that pours forth from Rhea'li, tendrils of aether striking the one place that isn't being attacked by Azem or Emet-Selch: Bahamut's back. Scales appear to melt from the assault, aether bleeding out from the new open wounds, the blasts from the primal's mouth noticeably weaker as it tries to shake the two transformed ancients off.

"Finish it!" he shouts down to them, his own wings fading as he takes hold of his floating grimoire.

With one last roar, his sword finally makes it through the wing and pierces the dragon's remaining eye. Bahamut bellows in pain and rage, shaking itself wildly to try and dislodge the other two. Hades backs away, twisting the sword in for maximum damage before ripping it back out, eye and all.

"Get away! Before he falls!"

Azem continues their attack until Hades yells for them to get away. It's only then that launch themself away, pushing off Bahamut's body and flying over to join their dear friend.

"Is that all?" They almost sound disappointed.

Bahamut twists and roars, blind with rage as it falls, unable to coordinate its flailing limbs properly from the sudden lack of sight. But before it can release another wave of aether, Rhea'li drops another summoned primal Titan on it, to truly ensure the Bahamut primal hits the ground and dissipates into a cloud of aether.

Rhea'li joins them both, borne by Emet-Selch's steed, lip curling in amusement at Azem's comment. "Next time I shall tell my memories to give you a greater challenge."

He's certain Grani would rather he begone, but there's still one more thing...

The darkened skies melts away, the environment within his soul bleeding into an endless blue expanse. History did not go this way at all and so this recreated world struggles to maintain its hold. But at the centre of it all is a small, scruffy boy rubbing the tears away from his cheeks. A peek at his soul would show him as the sliver of spirit that had wedged itself into the cracks of Rhea'li's soul.

"You killed the monster..." He seems to fold in on himself. "But I'm scared. Where am I gonna go?"

Grani does look ready to be rid of its rider. The steed trots through the air and comes to a halt by Hades, tossing its horned head and impatiently flicking its tail. 'How much longer do I have to carry this one?' it seems to be asking. Hades pats its neck reassuringly as he looks towards the foreign spirit.

"Anywhere," he eventually answers in his guttural, echoing voice. "There are others waiting for you on the other side. Eventually, I'm sure you will be reborn into a new body, and then you will make new friends, have new experiences and adventures."

As the great body of Bahamut slowly disintegrates with the world around them, so does the dragon's eye. He briefly wonders how mortal men must have felt when they first slew Ratatoskr.

Edited 2023-03-02 14:26 (UTC)

Azem holds out a hand for Rhea'li to climb aboard so Grani can be free of him. Another hand will go to the little spirit, offering for them to climb aboard.

"Hades has the right of it. A new adventure awaits you, little one." The multi-layered tone of their voice is likely not all that comforting but they try. "And what is better than a new adventure?"

Grani is so much like its creator that Rhea'li can't help but let out a quiet huff of barely contained laughter before he hops down onto Azem's awaiting hand.

Despite the fearsome appearances of Emet-Selch and Azem, the spirit quietly nods and clings to one of Azem's fingers at first. Rhea'li wonders if that is because of his connection with the spirit; he was never intimidated by such things and he knows they are precious friends. Still, the spirit worries at his lower lip, trembling very slightly as he hugs Azem's finger, gaze lifting to Emet-Selch before drifting to Azem and Rhea'li.

"Will you come with me until then? You won't leave?"

Rhea'li's expression softens and he nods. "Of course. You won't be alone."

And just like that... the world melts away back to the forest and the shrine Emet-Selch and Azem had found the spirit possessing Rhea'li. Rhea'li wobbles slightly and leans against one of the trees. A peek at his soul, and this time the spirit is nestled alongside his cracked soul and the other souls Rhea'li had collected.

"Thank you. For coming back for me," he says to Emet-Selch and Azem, a small, slightly weary smile on his face.

Their return to the real world is briefly disorienting. Hades is no longer in his transformed form and Grani is gone. He checks himself over before fixing his Sight upon Rhea'li. The wayward soul is, indeed, safely separated.

"Hmph. After everything that's happened, being possessed by a child's spirit is almost embarrassing, wouldn't you say?"

Oh yes, Rhea'li, he saw his great-grandson hijack your body.

"Of course," Azem responds as they smile down at the spirit.

They blink at their hands once they return to the real world. It's a bit of an awkward sensation to suddenly go from their transformed state back to this small form, especially when one hand was holding Rhea'li and the other had the spirit.

Hearing Rhea'li speak their gaze snaps to him before they smile. "Of course. We couldn't very well return without you. Could you imagine being the only group to return one person short?"

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pls feel free to npc bahamut as you desire

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