While your conversation with Shadow may have shed light on a few things... it's obvious he doesn't think you all are up to the task of saving the universe from Eggman. Which also means that now you're dealing with his test, starting immediately. Some of you may be whisked away with no time to even blink, while others may find themselves wandering the Void aimlessly. Regardless, it seems this week won't be a particularly easy one.
THE VOID
Nothing has changed in the Void. Nothing ever changes in the Void. It's impossible to track the passage of time in here, and your only escape are the rings... though you should be careful with them, as there's far fewer this week. You're free to travel between worlds as you see fit - Shadow won't stop you - but you can be snatched up from wherever you are at any given moment and pulled back into the Void. Maybe don't plan on spending to long anywhere else, because it won't end well for you if you do.
The hexagonal shards will still show you visions of other worlds... but this time they all show the same thing. You'll see worlds - maybe even your own - taken over by robots and Eggman's chroma, reduced to smoldering ashes or being rebuilt in Eggman's image. Your friends, allies, and enemies may even be going about their lives just as listlessly and dutifully, heedless of their surroundings. You may even see alternate versions of yourself among them. Regardless, it seems all these shards have to show you this week are all the possibilities of failure - that other versions of shardbearers in other timelines have already lost.
MINDSCAPES
Shadow's usage of the Phantom Ruby and his own fake Chaos Emerald shard have caused quite the problem for you all - namely, you'll find yourselves traversing each other's innermost thoughts and dreams. Exactly how this mindscape manifests depends on the individual, but one thing will always remain true: you won't be able to find the owner of the mindscape easily.
As a reflection of these inner thoughts, mindscapes can be any sort of place. Perhaps they are a reflection of the owner's inner demons and fear, or perhaps they showcase a bright future they want to work towards. Regardless, this is a dream and one the owner must be awoken from... which means finding them and bringing them back to reality. That's easier said than done when traversing through this dream-like state, where the rules are made up by the owner and you're a foreign being that the dream recognizes as a threat (even if you aren't).
You may encounter familiar places or people within these mindscapes. You may not. You may end up fighting for your life in here... or you may not. Each one is individual, and the experience can vary wildly from person to person. No matter what you face, you must find the owner of the mindscape and bring them back. You must ensure you're strong enough to support them... and protect yourself.
Curiously, you can activate your shared shard power with the owner of the mindscape at any time - or bolster your own power if you share shard colors - even without them being present. Will this make it easier or harder to help bring them back? It depends on the person, your bond, and the mindscape itself...
Waking them up is as simple as convincing them that they're dreaming - that this isn't real and that they still have things to return to - but that may be easier said than done depending on the person... or the mindscape itself. There's no telling what you'll encounter, after all.
SHARDS
You'll find you're capable of more now than you were before. You're really adapting to using your shard powers and fighting with others. Those of you who share shard colors will feel the strength of your shards increasing even more when working together.
As you fight with your allies - particularly those you have a close bond with, positive or negative - you may feel the tug of something in the back of your head; it tells you that you can do more. Together, you can become more powerful. You can use your shards together. Doing so will grant you a new power, or strengthen the one you already have. The more you trust one another, the easier this power will be to use.
It might be good to experiment with these new powers; after all, you never know when you may need them.
TAILS' TASKS
Given that your allies are being pulled into mindscapes and are unable to break free of their own, your task this week is to help your friends. Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles are off dealing with their own mindscapes, but whenever they are around, they're adamant about the importance of making sure everyone is freed and prepared for whatever comes next.
ENEMIES
Like last week, you will not encounter any of Eggman's robots. The Void is still free of enemies, though other worlds may possess their own threats. Mindscapes are a bit of a different beast; each one varies, and you may or may not encounter threats of any sort in them. Best be on your guard.
[Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately if they were hoping to get jumped, the hall is empty! Whoever it was that walked in here isn't lying in wait for Void Archives.
It's also very dark, but there is a sign of light in the distance. Looks like it's a straight shot to the next chamber.]
[ Hmm...they take in the mess of things in the general area of the chamber.
But, eventually their attention is in fact drawn to the statue! When they come upon it, anything they immediately notice that so happens to be off or worth taking note of...? ]
[The statue is of a non-human entity- a possible hint as to what this shrine is dedicated to.
While its appearance won't ring any immediate bells, Void Archives will instinctively call upon their memory of the black creature in Raven's nightmare. In fact...the echos of a fierce battle seem to materialize out of nowhere and grow in intensity the longer they stand in front of the statue.]
[ It...certainly does not, but maybe the significance will become relevant soon enough.
But, the memory of a certain creature calling to mind and being brought to the forefront of their mind is not anywhere a comforting aspect of this all. Especially since they associate nothing good with it. For good reason, as well.
They begin to take a step back and look around their surroundings to ensure that the environment hasn't changed.
But, if it has, there isn't much they can do about that, huh? ]
[Mercifully, they haven't been transported back to that terrible night. The cacophony of war dissipates as they back off, though a dull ache in their heart remains. It feels as though it may never go away.
But they must press on. They still have a stranger to track down...though perhaps they aren't as much of a stranger anymore.
Another dark hallway lies in wait beyond the statue.]
The dull ache remaining, not so much - but with everything happening as it has, it's already narrowed down the possible owner of this mindscape in a flash.
All the more reason to indeed hurry along - and indeed, their steps are a bit more sped up to see what's up ahead.
[When Void Archives enters the hallway, that dull ache slowly morphs into the sensation of a heartbeat against their ears. A disembodied voice echoes around them.]
I can't see anything.
I can't hear anything.
Is someone there?
Answer me. Help me.
Someone--
[A deep, garbled voice interjects and a sudden jolt of pain shoots through Void Archives' chest.]
There's no one left except you.
[And just like that, the voices disappear along with the pain.
As Void Archives reaches the end of the tunnel, they'll see the man from before. Younger, but the uniform is the same. He's reading a letter aloud, voice devoid of any emotion.]
You'll live a new life here.
You are one of the few knights who survived the Great War. Even though you are a commoner, you possess great skill and a certain level of pride. Your name is...
[ Well, that definitely makes them give pause (not in step, but in mind) - both to the sudden sound in their ears and then the voice that follows, asking, pleading for help. Though, they don't exactly anticipate to see the owner of such words immediately; it's never quite that easy.
Then the pain causes them to place a hand on their own chest, momentary as it was.
They gaze upon the 'man' they saw before. Oh, some aspects do seem very familiar indeed, even beyond the fact that they have seen him before at the beginning of all this. Thus, they try to reach out with their voice first, to see if it might reach the man; even if he appears younger. ]
"Schwann Oltorain", hm?
So, this is where you are entrapped. In the embodiment of the identity you assumed following that wretched battle. Is that it?
[ The pieces had already been put into place when they heard the sound of the battle. Before they saw "Schwann" again - or rather...Raven. ]
Though, if you do ask me, it sounds like quite a strange name for you.
You couldn't be truly ready to accept it once more, could you?
Those are certainly words that hit harder than this image of Raven (Schwann?) could have ever hoped to imagine. Such to the point that Void Archives is struck surprised by them for a singular moment. Well then.
...Maybe they should have anticipated in hearing them, but that is just not the case. No, expecting to hear that would have been simply unreasonable.
Their expression settles into something considering and then they hurry, following after him rather than with a leisurely gait, with one of purpose - a bit quicker. ]
...Do you really believe I will let you get away with saying something like that?
Especially when I have doubts that so happen to be the case~
[ But, who is Void Archives to say such things when they aren't too personally close to the man? Anyway, what is it that they see, while wondering if their words were said quick enough to reach Raven? ]
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no subject
It's also very dark, but there is a sign of light in the distance. Looks like it's a straight shot to the next chamber.]
no subject
But, hey. They're going to go right on ahead and check the spot of light in the distance, before deciding to allow themselves to follow it.
What kind of chamber are they going to be wandering into, exactly...? ]
no subject
But there is one thing that's different. A massive statue rests in the center of the chamber. Might be worth investigating!]
no subject
But, eventually their attention is in fact drawn to the statue! When they come upon it, anything they immediately notice that so happens to be off or worth taking note of...? ]
no subject
While its appearance won't ring any immediate bells, Void Archives will instinctively call upon their memory of the black creature in Raven's nightmare. In fact...the echos of a fierce battle seem to materialize out of nowhere and grow in intensity the longer they stand in front of the statue.]
no subject
But, the memory of a certain creature calling to mind and being brought to the forefront of their mind is not anywhere a comforting aspect of this all. Especially since they associate nothing good with it. For good reason, as well.
They begin to take a step back and look around their surroundings to ensure that the environment hasn't changed.
But, if it has, there isn't much they can do about that, huh? ]
no subject
But they must press on. They still have a stranger to track down...though perhaps they aren't as much of a stranger anymore.
Another dark hallway lies in wait beyond the statue.]
no subject
The dull ache remaining, not so much - but with everything happening as it has, it's already narrowed down the possible owner of this mindscape in a flash.
All the more reason to indeed hurry along - and indeed, their steps are a bit more sped up to see what's up ahead.
Time to enter into the dark hallway...! ]
no subject
I can't see anything.
I can't hear anything.
Is someone there?
Answer me. Help me.
Someone--
[A deep, garbled voice interjects and a sudden jolt of pain shoots through Void Archives' chest.]
There's no one left except you.
[And just like that, the voices disappear along with the pain.
As Void Archives reaches the end of the tunnel, they'll see the man from before. Younger, but the uniform is the same. He's reading a letter aloud, voice devoid of any emotion.]
You'll live a new life here.
You are one of the few knights who survived the Great War. Even though you are a commoner, you possess great skill and a certain level of pride. Your name is...
Schwann Oltorain.
no subject
Then the pain causes them to place a hand on their own chest, momentary as it was.
They gaze upon the 'man' they saw before. Oh, some aspects do seem very familiar indeed, even beyond the fact that they have seen him before at the beginning of all this. Thus, they try to reach out with their voice first, to see if it might reach the man; even if he appears younger. ]
"Schwann Oltorain", hm?
So, this is where you are entrapped. In the embodiment of the identity you assumed following that wretched battle. Is that it?
[ The pieces had already been put into place when they heard the sound of the battle. Before they saw "Schwann" again - or rather...Raven. ]
Though, if you do ask me, it sounds like quite a strange name for you.
You couldn't be truly ready to accept it once more, could you?
replying with this journal from here on :)
This is who I have always been, and in the end, this is all I'll ever be. I was a fool to hope otherwise.
[With that, he turns his back on them and vanishes down another hall.
There's more to see, it seems.]
no subject
Those are certainly words that hit harder than this image of Raven (Schwann?) could have ever hoped to imagine. Such to the point that Void Archives is struck surprised by them for a singular moment. Well then.
...Maybe they should have anticipated in hearing them, but that is just not the case. No, expecting to hear that would have been simply unreasonable.
Their expression settles into something considering and then they hurry, following after him rather than with a leisurely gait, with one of purpose - a bit quicker. ]
...Do you really believe I will let you get away with saying something like that?
Especially when I have doubts that so happen to be the case~
[ But, who is Void Archives to say such things when they aren't too personally close to the man? Anyway, what is it that they see, while wondering if their words were said quick enough to reach Raven? ]