Mission #13 - Historic Route Six-to-Four

[lucetimods]

Who: Jack Holden, Silver, Leonhardt, Jack Sparrow, Serah Farron, Shikamaru, Haru Glory, Hyuuga Neji, Albert Silverberg, Helios Sprensonne, Saori, and Kotetsu.
What: Mission #13: Historic Route Six-to-Four
When: February 27th - March 2nd
Where: Along Route Six-to-Four
Summary: A routine transport mission goes awry when the cultists attack and a game of dreams begins.
Rating: Whatever 300 was rated, tbh


Departure

As noted on the mission briefer, this will take over the course of four days. The first two hours of the mission will be loading up the caravan and taking their assigned positions once it hits the road. This segment will be entirely hand waved. If you want to use this thread to establish some brief greets and exchange of names among characters, that’s fine, but the Malnosso will keep the workers too busy to do anything more than exchange pleasantries.

Four hours into their road trip, the caravan will suddenly come to a grinding halt as they pass through a shaded forest. Suddenly the lead vehicle will ring out with an explosion as it goes flying off the road and on fire. Fortunately, none of the volunteers were permitted to be on the lead vehicle, but it does spell trouble from the group. With the sound a war horn, the caravan is suddenly descended on by winged assailants. The security forces equipped to the caravan rush to mount a defense, but the cultists are cleverly able to use the forest to their advantage to launch their attacks. From four points around the caravan, Shifters take up position and block the powers and technology of all present.

And then the General steps onto the battlefield. The battle commences as the MSF draw their blades. The volunteers and other workers enter the fray as well in what looks like a hopeless battle. But before any conclusion can be had for either side, there’s a flash of bright light and everything goes dark.

Please use the plotting post for any questions!

Comments

[windandrain]

"That would be fine." She nods and gives Elise a cool look. "Please lead the way."

[folklorist]

Helios nods and silently turns towards the gardens he'll keep an even pace as he walks pasts faceless persons who greet him cordial and congratulate him as he wanders by. Then he stops under the shadow cast by the large hedge wall at the beginning of the intricately detailed and full sized labyrinthine like garden maze.

"S-So you were saying?" He doesn't sound very eager to hear the news Saori brings, but he is willing to listen and that is what he going to do.

[windandrain]

She follows, running through what she needs to say in her mind over and over. It's a convoluted mess, but she's glad at least that Elise isn't there to listen. Saori wasn't sure she could deal with those eyes. Not after Yuuna's.

"Helios," she begins, "you know this isn't real. This is a dream. And you...are in grave danger. Do you remember Luceti and the Third Party?"

[folklorist]

Helios stands there like a rock unmoving or emoting much.

"No." His voice sounds somewhat hollow and desperate despite the knowledge that Saori wouldn't lie. He doesn't want to believe that this is all fake though. It was so perfect and he was so terribly happy right now. And Elise...

She was wrong she had to be wrong.

"You're wrong. I-It, it feels real, everything does." Why would the third party do such a thing in the first place? Helios recognize some of it, but it's hazy and muddled.

[windandrain]

"No," Saori replied in a flat tone. She wasn't going to stand for this, not after she'd had to kill Yuuna. She knew exactly what Helios was feeling, but she couldn't let him drag this out. It'd be the death of all of them if he died. And she'd never forgive herself for it.

"It's not real. It's a dream...constructed by a monster. A member of the Third Party. It's meant to trap you here, make you not want to leave. And then they'll kill you. And I can't. I won't let that happen."

The goddess looks around the maze, hazy as it was, and shakes her head before turning back to him. Her eyes, misted over in worry, fix on his. The parallel here between his dream and hers is just...awful. She wants to hug him, hold him, and just let him rest. But she can't.

"I know it hurts. But it's not real. You've got...you've got to end it and wake up. Or you'll die."

[folklorist]

Helios doesn't like what he hears. He doesn't like this anymore. Why? Why can't this be real and he can't be back home with Elise in his life once again. The dull ache in his chest gets more profound as he stares back at Saori.

"I-I can't." He can't do it. He can't do what Saori is insinuating that he needs to do. He can't kill her again. Watching Elise die once was bad enough...but again? It would just reopen so many old wounds that only just healed over. He can't do it.

"I can't see her die again..." his voice cracks as his eyes mist over with tears that are about to fall, but don't.

[windandrain]

"You must," Saori says, but her eyes aren't unkind. Her hand reaches up to his shoulder, squeezing as reassuringly as she can. She knows what it's like. She's been there. And it hurts.

"It's not her. It's a monster. It's stolen her face. You...can and you must. I...I had to do the same. My own monster took Yuuna-chan's face. But that's what it is. A monster. It's not her, and if you let her keep you here, then we'll both die." She sniffs sadly, "And then who'd care for the little ones, at home?"