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.
When turning around just directs him straight back in, he at least falls in line with the intent for now. The energy feels... familiar, at least. A bond he recognizes, even if he can't place it just yet into words.
[It sure is suspicious. Really fishy, you could even say.
As Vakama ventures forward, he'll find himself in another chamber that mostly resembles the first- lots of rubble and plants growing up through the cracks. The figure from before has completely vanished into thin air, making it difficult to decide where to go next. The chamber branches into three more paths: left, center or right. Which will he choose?
(Feel free to roll a d20 to potentially gain information before deciding!)]
[Since the convenient little shadow has made themselves scarce - yes, let's take a look around (15). Any indication to what this shrine is even for in the first place, outside of being a convenient home for the local lichen?]
[There isn't anything telling in this particular chamber, but that may change as Vakama continues further in.
Speaking of which...with a 15, he'll catch the faintest hint of conversation coming from the rightmost hall. It's hard to tell what's being said, but it's a lead nevertheless.]
[To the right it is! Darn him not having his invisibility anymore so he can't be quite as stealthy as he'd like, but he'll at least be cautious trying to get close enough to either hear those voices, or get a glimpse of his company.]
[As Vakama enters the dark hallway, it'll become very apparent, very quickly that the voices aren't actually coming from within the shrine. They're like echos of the past, heard only for Vakama.]
"...why me?"
[The first voice sounds familiar to someone Vakama knows, but lighter. Younger. The second voice is not familiar.]
"Like I said before, because you are the survivor of your platoon, and I know of your skill. You've experienced a great loss, but isn't this what Casey wants you to do, Damuron?"
[Casey. An unmistakably familiar name.
The likewise familiar voice lets out a hollow laugh.]
"Damuron Atomais is dead."
[And so is Casey. A dead person doesn't want anything.]
"You are alive."
"But I'm a fake, thanks to this device."
"Even if you rely on the blastia to live, it should make no difference."
[Regardless, the owner of the blastia, Damuron, won't budge on his stance.]
"Damuron's dead. He's no longer with us."
[The other voice has had enough.]
"ENOUGH OF THIS!" [They shout.] "Regardless of what anyone wants or doesn't want, we who've been left behind have an obligation to those who have died! You all were my dream! To break down the thousand year-old customs of the Empire and lead us to a new era. Which would've brought true prosperity for all people. That was my wish."
[The other person doesn't respond.]
"If you want to continue insisting that you've died, then fine. But you are alive now. You're ALIVE!"
[They let out a frustrated sigh.]
"Fine. We can say you've died as Damuron. But if you don't want to die again, you'll live a new life! I'll give you any name! Just LOOK at me! Lend me your strength!"
[Finally, the other person speaks, just as hollow as before.]
"...If that's what you want."
"I'm holding you to that."
[The conversation ends, and the next time Vakama hears that familiar voice, it's very much present at the end of the hall.]
"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..."
[The figure from before comes into view, and he looks straight through Vakama.]
"I am Schwann Oltorain. I always have been...and I always will be."
[Damuron is gone. Damuron is dead.
And with that, the figure disappears into the dark once more.]
[He has a harder time placing the voice at first. But as soon as Casey is mentioned--
...
Is this what Raven had meant? That dream felt so long ago, so muddled in amidst the exhaustion of those weeks, but... the empathy he'd insisted upon, the claim of losing his way after Casey's death...
A pull to power and belonging in a moment of utter weakness, of guilt and self-hatred. He hates the echo he feels, even with just this.
A million questions enter his mind as Schwann - no, Raven - appears, and then dissipates just like a ghost. How much of this had been his choice? From the sounds of that conversation, that man had not wanted to continue on. So what power, what figure, was enough to convince him otherwise?]
Wait -- Raven, stop--!
[It's calling out to shadows at this point, he knows. But he'll still chase after it.]
cw blood, dead bodies (sorry this is escalating quickly)
Vakama will feel that overarching topaz energy ripple for a moment at the mention of that name. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Hard to say at this point.
As Vakama reaches the end of the hall, darkness gives away to the dim light of the ever-present lanterns in the main chambers.
...the light is very helpful in illuminating the growing splatters of blood on the ground.
Splatters turn into puddles, pooling and pooling until it reaches the dark form of Schwann Oltorain at the center of it all. Around him are the bodies of several unknown figures.
The echoed voices from before resurface.]
"Schwann, I have no intention of giving up now. As long as I live, I still have my dreams.
But this time, let's begin after all our obstacles have been eliminated. We don't need numbers. If we can get rid of the right ones, the rest will get the picture.
...
All I have left now is you. Will you take care of it?"
[Schwann's gaze lifts from the bodies to Vakama as his disembodied voice responds:]
"I will do as you say, but..." [As if to assuage any hesitation on the other person's part,] "It's a great plan."
[There's a dark twist of corruption in the air as this conversation comes to a close. No more playing nice. It's all downhill from here.]
"Tonight it is, then."
cw: blood - i can't talk after the rollercoaster i put u through man, follow ur dreams
[The sensation flutters, faint like a far off echo. Vague, but he had not come so far if not for trusting in things that couldn't be explained yet.
The first sight of red splattered across the floor has his hand to his weapon, drawing it at the ready as the amount increases. He's been around humans enough by now to know the implications of this much injury, pale corpses atop a final vibrant hue, gasping the last colors of their life.
Schwann's eyes lift, and Vakama's gaze meets his, halting his forward motion with his pose on the defensive. Golden eyes narrow at the twisting sensation - the pull of corruption that once again feels too familiar.]
...
Who is it insisting these things to you?
[It's careful, clipped. Unsure if this version of Raven can even see him, let alone consider him something safe in this strange space. The whole thing sounded like a clear request for assassination... possibly more than what was already at Schwann's feet.]
You and I both know that's not true -- wait! Raven!!
[Oh this is SUCH bullshit, but no wonder Raven had the remarks he did when their positions were reversed only a couple weeks ago. Convinced one deserved to be dead, drawn along by someone in power who had led them into turning irreversibly different, both bitter and detached... only one with utmost arrogance in his delusion, and the other...
Well. He would call it loyalty. But after his own mistakes, Vakama knows far too well that you cannot show loyalty to someone you are enslaved to, no matter the bindings.
[After a bit of chasing, Vakama will find Schwann's figure descending a worn down flight of stairs leading deeper into the shrine. But should Vakama follow him down there, he'll witness flashes of a fight breaking out between a younger Schwann and an absolute mountain of a man, with the man easily coming out on top. By the time he reaches the bottom of the stairs, he'll find himself in...an inn room? It's as if he's been transported to another place entirely.
The man from before sits in front of a bedridden Schwann.]
"You've met with quite an unfortunate fate, haven't you?"
...Why did you save me?
[Schwann had told the man to kill him after losing that fight, and yet...]
"I'm no nice guy. I just can't believe that one guy could come in here with these worrisome thoughts."
[He looks down upon Schwann with a fierce expression.]
"Did your house burn down? Family eaten by monsters? So what? You think that kind of story is rare? Even if you're talking about the Great War, pretty much everybody lost something important to those monsters.
So what's your deal? Telling me to kill you. That you want to die."
[Schwann's surprised expression dissolves into one of listlessness as he lowers his gaze to his hands.]
I don't expect you to understand.
"Obviously, you idiot." [The man booms.] "I'm not you. Aren't you old enough to know better?"
[A young boy—introducing himself as Harry, the man's grandson—interrupts their conversation with a message for the man. After delivering it, he points toward Schwann and asks who he is...to which the man introduces him as "Raven", a new member of the guild, much to Schwann's surprise.
Schwann turns to the man after the boy leaves.]
Were you joking when you said I was a new guy?
"Treating your wounds takes time and money, so I'll just have you pay it back through work."
Are you serious?
"It's a pretty nice gig, huh? Getting to work by my side."
...But think about it, I might attack you again.
[The man lets out a boisterous laugh and slaps his knee.]
"Then I look forward to it!"
[The man turns to leave, telling Schwann...or "Raven", that he'll be back with a job for him later.]
H-Hey now. What's with the name "Raven"?
"It was the name of a pet mouse Harry owned a while ago."
[Raven looks on, dumbfounded.]
"Oh yeah, and another thing.
Do something about that face that's making you look like the most unfortunate guy in the world."
[As the man leaves, the scene fades back into the dank lower floor of the ruined shrine. Time to move on.]
[...So someone had caught him by chance in the midst of all this. Seen his state, as empty and broken as it was, taken a strange sort of pity on him, and offered him a very risky second chance.
And the name... this is where that had come from?
...
His expression tightens as he pushes his way through the stone and humidity. How desperate Raven must have been for an out, if he'd outright asked someone to take his life in such a way. No longer wanting understanding, only an end that felt deserved.
...]
I wish this is not something we shared, my friend. I am sorry.
[As Vakama ventures further in, the pulsations of topaz energy grow more frequent. So too do the glimpses into the double life of Schwann Oltorain of the Imperial Knights and Raven of the guilds.
He sees Raven's first days working for Don Whitehorse- the man who named him and took him under his wing. He sees him go back to Alexei some months later to report on his findings. Alexei tells him to continue his work in Dahngrest to keep tabs on the guilds, and so becomes a regular routine of switching identities to suit his purposes. Sometimes he even forgets which mask he's supposed to be wearing.
Vakama lays witness to the man's growth into the Raven he knows today- and just how much he's bonded with the Don, now seeing him like a second father. After having known Raven for years now, the Don is disappointed in Raven's continued listlessness. Life feels more free as Raven, but at the end of the day he's just the shell of a dead man wandering through life. What point is there in dreaming for something more?
One fateful day, Raven meets a young man named Yuri Lowell and everything changes. Vakama watches as Raven integrates himself into Yuri's group- primarily because Alexei wants him to keep tabs on Estelle. The kids are rightfully wary of him, considering he used them as bait to get past some guards on one of his missions, but over time he truly becomes one of the group. Even the Don can see a spark of life in Raven's eyes for the first time since they've known each other and encourages him to work with them. He's truly come to find something worth living for in traveling with these kids.
...but the other shoe has to drop sometime.
Deep darkness begins to set in and Vakama is forced to navigate without light as an oppressive atmosphere pushes down on him.]
A dangerous game, indeed. And to mix the young alongside...
There's relief that this seems to be where something started getting through to Raven... but with it comes a deep ache, one that only worsens when the surroundings seem to double down and grow thick around him. It feels like watching the wrecking of an airship in slow motion, just waiting for a moment of impact that seems almost guaranteed to come.
The lack of light might have made him panic as a younger Toa, grasping for his elemental powers. But it is not the first time he's been forced to remember his time as a Hordika ever since being turned back. Ironic, to use them here in Raven's similar reflections.
So he lets out a deep breath, closes his eyes, and lets sound alone guide him. Careful, cautious, aware of every detail as he slinks closer to the ground. It may not give him a direction right away, or at all, but if there's something else in the room... he would rather not be taken by surprise.]
It all starts with a visit to Belius, the leader of the independent guild Palestralle and an Entelexeia- an ancient race of monsters that fought against humanity in the Great War. A peaceful meeting between her and Brave Vesperia breaks into chaos as another guild attacks, commissioned by none other than Harry Whitehorse. In the ensuing fight, Belius is injured and Estelle attempts to heal her...which leads to the unintended outcome of her going berserk. She begs for Brave Vesperia to kill her before she can cause any harm to her people.
With Belius's death, Palestralle is going to demand retribution against the Union. An eye for an eye. It's an absolute nightmare scenario, made worse by the fact that Harry was tricked into doing what he did by none other than Yeager of Leviathan's Claw.
The scene shifts to a massive gathering in front of the Union headquarters where the Don awaits punishment. While he was not responsible for what happened to Belius, he intends to take the full brunt of his grandson's transgression, much to the shock and horror of everyone. They know it's the most honorable thing to do, but it's the Don- the leader of the Union. Everyone respects him and looks up to him. What will they do once he's gone?
Raven is there, of course, and Vakama will be able to feel every bit of grief and uncertainty he is facing in this moment. He will feel the emotional agony as Yuri Lowell steps forth to be the Don's second and how Raven knows it should be him up instead. He'll feel something break inside of him as the Don gives an emotional, empowering speech for the guilds to tough up and look after one another in his absence before taking his own life.
He'll feel Raven's overwhelming desire to die as he reads Alexei's letter to him explaining that his time as Raven is over now that the Don is out of the picture.
Alexei had intended for this all along, after all. One way or another, he got rid of one of the few people standing in the way of his plans.
Somewhere in the deep darkness, Vakama will see a faint flicker of light.
[Oh. Hello, jumpscare Yeager. It's hard to piece together intention in amidst the shifting scenes, but that's kind of a brutally unforgiving point to associate with someone. How in the world was Raven not at this man's throat?
...
Though as things play out, he believes he has enough of an answer to that hypothetical question. To start to have hope again, only to have it ripped out piece by piece. A tragedy, a cruelty. How empty, how pointless, it must have felt at such a new low.
The light stands out with how oppressive the surroundings now press, but Vakama keeps his approach careful. He knows the letter from Alexei had insisted otherwise, that Schwann would likely protest.
But he uses that discarded name, regardless. Unlike his first name, this was not one Schwann had chosen himself to get rid of. Alexei had enough pull... there was no point to acknowledge any more of it.]
...Raven. [It's clear and biting towards the familiar figure in shadow.]
[Visual fractures occur as Vakama enters the final chamber. A glimpse of Sonic approaching Raven at his lowest shatters into the sight of Alexei furiously gripping onto Schwann's jaw.]
"Don't forget I am the one who created you." [He snaps, tightening his grip.] "You are mine. Do not act by your own will."
[Schwann doesn't even flinch. His deadened eyes stare right through Alexei.]
I am Schwann Oltorain. I am your subordinate.
[The scene fades to the final stage. Rows of lanterns illuminate the room. It seems to be a ceremonial chamber of sorts, though it hasn't served its purpose in decades. At the other end of the room stands Schwann Oltorain, sword at the ready.]
Raven isn't here. You are speaking to Schwann Oltorain.
[Schwann's expression tightens. If there's something he wants to say, he purposefully holds back. Raven did mean something to him, but there's nothing he can do now. What was the point of even hoping at all?]
I'm not here to listen to you. Alexei sees you as a threat, so it falls to me to eliminate you.
[With that, Schwann rushes in to close the distance before Vakama can act, taking a ferocious swing at the Toa with his blade (13).]
[Though he tries to dodge, his size does him no favors here and the blade slices down hard (11). He hisses in a breath as he scrambles backwards enough to slam the back of his disc launcher against Schwann's neck, trying to regain some distance (14).]
If he sees me as such a threat, he can come deal with me himself.
You cannot enslave someone and then expect their obedience to be loyalty. Cruel words do not change that he does not have you by choice, he has you by force.
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mindscape
When turning around just directs him straight back in, he at least falls in line with the intent for now. The energy feels... familiar, at least. A bond he recognizes, even if he can't place it just yet into words.
Straight ahead it is.]
no subject
As Vakama ventures forward, he'll find himself in another chamber that mostly resembles the first- lots of rubble and plants growing up through the cracks. The figure from before has completely vanished into thin air, making it difficult to decide where to go next. The chamber branches into three more paths: left, center or right. Which will he choose?
(Feel free to roll a d20 to potentially gain information before deciding!)]
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Speaking of which...with a 15, he'll catch the faintest hint of conversation coming from the rightmost hall. It's hard to tell what's being said, but it's a lead nevertheless.]
no subject
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"...why me?"
[The first voice sounds familiar to someone Vakama knows, but lighter. Younger. The second voice is not familiar.]
"Like I said before, because you are the survivor of your platoon, and I know of your skill. You've experienced a great loss, but isn't this what Casey wants you to do, Damuron?"
[Casey. An unmistakably familiar name.
The likewise familiar voice lets out a hollow laugh.]
"Damuron Atomais is dead."
[And so is Casey. A dead person doesn't want anything.]
"You are alive."
"But I'm a fake, thanks to this device."
"Even if you rely on the blastia to live, it should make no difference."
[Regardless, the owner of the blastia, Damuron, won't budge on his stance.]
"Damuron's dead. He's no longer with us."
[The other voice has had enough.]
"ENOUGH OF THIS!" [They shout.] "Regardless of what anyone wants or doesn't want, we who've been left behind have an obligation to those who have died! You all were my dream! To break down the thousand year-old customs of the Empire and lead us to a new era. Which would've brought true prosperity for all people. That was my wish."
[The other person doesn't respond.]
"If you want to continue insisting that you've died, then fine. But you are alive now. You're ALIVE!"
[They let out a frustrated sigh.]
"Fine. We can say you've died as Damuron. But if you don't want to die again, you'll live a new life! I'll give you any name! Just LOOK at me! Lend me your strength!"
[Finally, the other person speaks, just as hollow as before.]
"...If that's what you want."
"I'm holding you to that."
[The conversation ends, and the next time Vakama hears that familiar voice, it's very much present at the end of the hall.]
"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..."
[The figure from before comes into view, and he looks straight through Vakama.]
"I am Schwann Oltorain. I always have been...and I always will be."
[Damuron is gone. Damuron is dead.
And with that, the figure disappears into the dark once more.]
no subject
...
Is this what Raven had meant? That dream felt so long ago, so muddled in amidst the exhaustion of those weeks, but... the empathy he'd insisted upon, the claim of losing his way after Casey's death...
A pull to power and belonging in a moment of utter weakness, of guilt and self-hatred. He hates the echo he feels, even with just this.
A million questions enter his mind as Schwann - no, Raven - appears, and then dissipates just like a ghost. How much of this had been his choice? From the sounds of that conversation, that man had not wanted to continue on. So what power, what figure, was enough to convince him otherwise?]
Wait -- Raven, stop--!
[It's calling out to shadows at this point, he knows. But he'll still chase after it.]
cw blood, dead bodies (sorry this is escalating quickly)
Vakama will feel that overarching topaz energy ripple for a moment at the mention of that name. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Hard to say at this point.
As Vakama reaches the end of the hall, darkness gives away to the dim light of the ever-present lanterns in the main chambers.
...the light is very helpful in illuminating the growing splatters of blood on the ground.
Splatters turn into puddles, pooling and pooling until it reaches the dark form of Schwann Oltorain at the center of it all. Around him are the bodies of several unknown figures.
The echoed voices from before resurface.]
"Schwann, I have no intention of giving up now. As long as I live, I still have my dreams.
But this time, let's begin after all our obstacles have been eliminated. We don't need numbers. If we can get rid of the right ones, the rest will get the picture.
...
All I have left now is you. Will you take care of it?"
[Schwann's gaze lifts from the bodies to Vakama as his disembodied voice responds:]
"I will do as you say, but..." [As if to assuage any hesitation on the other person's part,] "It's a great plan."
[There's a dark twist of corruption in the air as this conversation comes to a close. No more playing nice. It's all downhill from here.]
"Tonight it is, then."
cw: blood - i can't talk after the rollercoaster i put u through man, follow ur dreams
The first sight of red splattered across the floor has his hand to his weapon, drawing it at the ready as the amount increases. He's been around humans enough by now to know the implications of this much injury, pale corpses atop a final vibrant hue, gasping the last colors of their life.
Schwann's eyes lift, and Vakama's gaze meets his, halting his forward motion with his pose on the defensive. Golden eyes narrow at the twisting sensation - the pull of corruption that once again feels too familiar.]
...
Who is it insisting these things to you?
[It's careful, clipped. Unsure if this version of Raven can even see him, let alone consider him something safe in this strange space. The whole thing sounded like a clear request for assassination... possibly more than what was already at Schwann's feet.]
tagging with this account from now on hehe
It isn't insisting. I simply do as Alexei tells me to. I have no reason to think for myself.
[He seems to hesitate, as if he doesn't want to fully believe that. But he quickly quashes that doubt.]
Not anymore.
[With that, he turns to disappear again...because we are not quite done here.]
cw: suicidal ideation (:crymeow: hi mr. schwann)
[Oh this is SUCH bullshit, but no wonder Raven had the remarks he did when their positions were reversed only a couple weeks ago. Convinced one deserved to be dead, drawn along by someone in power who had led them into turning irreversibly different, both bitter and detached... only one with utmost arrogance in his delusion, and the other...
Well. He would call it loyalty. But after his own mistakes, Vakama knows far too well that you cannot show loyalty to someone you are enslaved to, no matter the bindings.
WHERE U GOING, SHADOW MAN, HE'S COMING FOR YOU]
cw suicidal ideation
The man from before sits in front of a bedridden Schwann.]
"You've met with quite an unfortunate fate, haven't you?"
...Why did you save me?
[Schwann had told the man to kill him after losing that fight, and yet...]
"I'm no nice guy. I just can't believe that one guy could come in here with these worrisome thoughts."
[He looks down upon Schwann with a fierce expression.]
"Did your house burn down? Family eaten by monsters? So what? You think that kind of story is rare? Even if you're talking about the Great War, pretty much everybody lost something important to those monsters.
So what's your deal? Telling me to kill you. That you want to die."
[Schwann's surprised expression dissolves into one of listlessness as he lowers his gaze to his hands.]
I don't expect you to understand.
"Obviously, you idiot." [The man booms.] "I'm not you. Aren't you old enough to know better?"
[A young boy—introducing himself as Harry, the man's grandson—interrupts their conversation with a message for the man. After delivering it, he points toward Schwann and asks who he is...to which the man introduces him as "Raven", a new member of the guild, much to Schwann's surprise.
Schwann turns to the man after the boy leaves.]
Were you joking when you said I was a new guy?
"Treating your wounds takes time and money, so I'll just have you pay it back through work."
Are you serious?
"It's a pretty nice gig, huh? Getting to work by my side."
...But think about it, I might attack you again.
[The man lets out a boisterous laugh and slaps his knee.]
"Then I look forward to it!"
[The man turns to leave, telling Schwann...or "Raven", that he'll be back with a job for him later.]
H-Hey now. What's with the name "Raven"?
"It was the name of a pet mouse Harry owned a while ago."
[Raven looks on, dumbfounded.]
"Oh yeah, and another thing.
Do something about that face that's making you look like the most unfortunate guy in the world."
[As the man leaves, the scene fades back into the dank lower floor of the ruined shrine. Time to move on.]
cw: suicidal ideation
And the name... this is where that had come from?
...
His expression tightens as he pushes his way through the stone and humidity. How desperate Raven must have been for an out, if he'd outright asked someone to take his life in such a way. No longer wanting understanding, only an end that felt deserved.
...]
I wish this is not something we shared, my friend. I am sorry.
[A quiet muttering as he keeps on going.]
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He sees Raven's first days working for Don Whitehorse- the man who named him and took him under his wing. He sees him go back to Alexei some months later to report on his findings. Alexei tells him to continue his work in Dahngrest to keep tabs on the guilds, and so becomes a regular routine of switching identities to suit his purposes. Sometimes he even forgets which mask he's supposed to be wearing.
Vakama lays witness to the man's growth into the Raven he knows today- and just how much he's bonded with the Don, now seeing him like a second father. After having known Raven for years now, the Don is disappointed in Raven's continued listlessness. Life feels more free as Raven, but at the end of the day he's just the shell of a dead man wandering through life. What point is there in dreaming for something more?
One fateful day, Raven meets a young man named Yuri Lowell and everything changes. Vakama watches as Raven integrates himself into Yuri's group- primarily because Alexei wants him to keep tabs on Estelle. The kids are rightfully wary of him, considering he used them as bait to get past some guards on one of his missions, but over time he truly becomes one of the group. Even the Don can see a spark of life in Raven's eyes for the first time since they've known each other and encourages him to work with them. He's truly come to find something worth living for in traveling with these kids.
...but the other shoe has to drop sometime.
Deep darkness begins to set in and Vakama is forced to navigate without light as an oppressive atmosphere pushes down on him.]
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A dangerous game, indeed. And to mix the young alongside...
There's relief that this seems to be where something started getting through to Raven... but with it comes a deep ache, one that only worsens when the surroundings seem to double down and grow thick around him. It feels like watching the wrecking of an airship in slow motion, just waiting for a moment of impact that seems almost guaranteed to come.
The lack of light might have made him panic as a younger Toa, grasping for his elemental powers. But it is not the first time he's been forced to remember his time as a Hordika ever since being turned back. Ironic, to use them here in Raven's similar reflections.
So he lets out a deep breath, closes his eyes, and lets sound alone guide him. Careful, cautious, aware of every detail as he slinks closer to the ground. It may not give him a direction right away, or at all, but if there's something else in the room... he would rather not be taken by surprise.]
cw: suicide, suicidal ideation
It all starts with a visit to Belius, the leader of the independent guild Palestralle and an Entelexeia- an ancient race of monsters that fought against humanity in the Great War. A peaceful meeting between her and Brave Vesperia breaks into chaos as another guild attacks, commissioned by none other than Harry Whitehorse. In the ensuing fight, Belius is injured and Estelle attempts to heal her...which leads to the unintended outcome of her going berserk. She begs for Brave Vesperia to kill her before she can cause any harm to her people.
With Belius's death, Palestralle is going to demand retribution against the Union. An eye for an eye. It's an absolute nightmare scenario, made worse by the fact that Harry was tricked into doing what he did by none other than Yeager of Leviathan's Claw.
The scene shifts to a massive gathering in front of the Union headquarters where the Don awaits punishment. While he was not responsible for what happened to Belius, he intends to take the full brunt of his grandson's transgression, much to the shock and horror of everyone. They know it's the most honorable thing to do, but it's the Don- the leader of the Union. Everyone respects him and looks up to him. What will they do once he's gone?
Raven is there, of course, and Vakama will be able to feel every bit of grief and uncertainty he is facing in this moment. He will feel the emotional agony as Yuri Lowell steps forth to be the Don's second and how Raven knows it should be him up instead. He'll feel something break inside of him as the Don gives an emotional, empowering speech for the guilds to tough up and look after one another in his absence before taking his own life.
He'll feel Raven's overwhelming desire to die as he reads Alexei's letter to him explaining that his time as Raven is over now that the Don is out of the picture.
Alexei had intended for this all along, after all. One way or another, he got rid of one of the few people standing in the way of his plans.
Somewhere in the deep darkness, Vakama will see a faint flicker of light.
Schwann is just up ahead.]
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...
Though as things play out, he believes he has enough of an answer to that hypothetical question. To start to have hope again, only to have it ripped out piece by piece. A tragedy, a cruelty. How empty, how pointless, it must have felt at such a new low.
The light stands out with how oppressive the surroundings now press, but Vakama keeps his approach careful. He knows the letter from Alexei had insisted otherwise, that Schwann would likely protest.
But he uses that discarded name, regardless. Unlike his first name, this was not one Schwann had chosen himself to get rid of. Alexei had enough pull... there was no point to acknowledge any more of it.]
...Raven. [It's clear and biting towards the familiar figure in shadow.]
Are you going to keep running?
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"Don't forget I am the one who created you." [He snaps, tightening his grip.] "You are mine. Do not act by your own will."
[Schwann doesn't even flinch. His deadened eyes stare right through Alexei.]
I am Schwann Oltorain. I am your subordinate.
[The scene fades to the final stage. Rows of lanterns illuminate the room. It seems to be a ceremonial chamber of sorts, though it hasn't served its purpose in decades. At the other end of the room stands Schwann Oltorain, sword at the ready.]
Raven isn't here. You are speaking to Schwann Oltorain.
[The question...goes unanswered for now.]
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It's a painful sort of echoing of his own words, trapped so deeply in Roodaka's clutches.]
I won't use some title that someone else insists.
Raven meant something to you once. It still does. Whatever has been ripped away from you does not change that.
[His weapon stays primed at the ready at his side, carefully watching. Ranged against melee means he will be at a disadvantage if he cannot be quick.]
You are no mindless beast for him. Does that hope you clung to mean nothing?
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I'm not here to listen to you. Alexei sees you as a threat, so it falls to me to eliminate you.
[With that, Schwann rushes in to close the distance before Vakama can act, taking a ferocious swing at the Toa with his blade (13).]
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If he sees me as such a threat, he can come deal with me himself.
You cannot enslave someone and then expect their obedience to be loyalty. Cruel words do not change that he does not have you by choice, he has you by force.