victory_road | I want to Beheeyemlieve

"Do not step away from the shrine!"

Palom, Porom and Tellah do not react as Cecil runs through them to stop Sion. Not that it is much of a surprise, considering they also have not reacted to Sion's presence in the first place.

"There are consecrated grounds further down the path, but you'll never reach them armed with that cursed sword. The local monsters resist it."

"Cecil?"

Sion pauses--though he stays put, rather than approaching the stone again--and glances in Cecil's direction.

"You know what's going on?"

Cecil sighs and nods, looking neither pleased nor displeased. He remembers that situation all too well.

"This is Mt Ordeals. On that day-"

Wait, no; he almost immediately stops himself. That's not quite how he should start. One detail is more important, after all.

"We appear to be within one of my memories. One nearly thirty years old."

"I see..."

He doesn't sound particularly happy about that, but Sion's rather touchy about things messing with his mind. It's not coincidence that he has extremely few psychic-types.

"I don't suppose you have any idea what's causing it?"

"Considering the date, I'd be tempted to blame Ghost-types."

As he speaks, he walks up to the shrine and attempts to touch it. His hand passes through the stone harmlessly; not quite unexpected, but not the result he was hoping for, either.

"Beyond that, I have no clues. Or explanations, for that matter."

"That does seem likely."

Sion does not sound thrilled about that. At all. But he does notice Cecil's hand passing through the stone he'd been touching himself at the start.

"You're unable to interact with it?"

"So it seems. Perhaps that is because you are technically playing my role?"

Just to confirm that theory, he tries punching the monument. Luckily for his knuckles, the result is the same.

"...My apologies, Father. It appears I cannot visit you freely."

"... I see."

That demonstration--and Cecil's remark after it--does indeed explain a fair bit, really. Enough for Sion to relax sufficient to start moving a little closer to the stone, at least.

"If we cannot find and stop what's behind this, I suppose it may be necessary to let it play out until its end..."

He doesn't sound too thrilled about that, but there's not a whole lot of choice here.

"Let it play- Oh dear."

What follows is, as far as Cecil is concerned, a confusing and upsetting but not truly bad memory. However, now that he thinks about it, it does involve some... physical unpleasantness.

"I'm sorry to ask, but how good are you at taking hits and casting healing magic?"

That earns a raised eyebrow.

"I can't say I'm acquainted with 'healing' magic, but I certainly can take a few blows when needed."

He used to have to put up with getting beaten up on a regular basis as a kid... And the occasional assassination attempt when he was older certainly kept him well-acquainted with the feeling.

"That will have to do."

If it comes down to it, Sion might be able to access Cecil's own powers... and as long as he accepts the blows, they'll be limited in number. Yes, it'll have to do.

"Touch the stone and bring us within the shrine. That is where we must go."

"... All right."

Sion's really not sure what to think of all this, but at least Cecil's explanation of the context of the memory helps. A little bit, at least. And if there's nothing for it but to continue on to the end... He steps forward and places his hand on the stone.

Immediately, a bright glow surrounds the five people present, but not for long. It soon fades away, revealing a crystalline room lines in mirrors. The old man and the children look around in surprise and confusion; Cecil does not.

"...Here it is. The shrine that crowns Mt. Ordeals, hiding a wondrous and terrible power. Our goal."

Perhaps he intends to say more, perhaps not. But the next words spoken are not his.

"Long have I awaited this - the day that you would come. A tragedy unfolds now which pains me more than you can know."

Sion glances at Cecil, raising a questioning eyebrow. It's clear there's a specific reason for him to have come here... But unfortunately, Sion has no idea what that is.

So unless Cecil decides to explain, there's not much he can do but stand there and wait. Perhaps the mysterious voice will even be kind enough to give a hint?

"To end it, I will gift to you my light. Though in so doing, I condemn myself to sorrow greater still."

The mysterious voice does give a hint, if a somewhat obscure one. Luckily, Cecil is here to translate.

"On that day, the powers I held as a dark knight were dispelled, replaced by those of a paladin. You'll now go through that in my place, I imagine. However, I still had to prove myself worthy of them... or die, and his hopes along with me."

As if to confirm those words, the voice continues.

"But the hour is late. No other road remains."

A very obscure hint, as far as Sion's concerned. Then again, he's never really prodded Cecil much about his past.

"Evidently you did manage, though, unless I'm greatly mistaken."

So, surely it can't be that bad, right?

That gets a quiet, startled laugh out of Cecil.

"When it comes to taking hits, having previous experience and suddenly knowing how to cast a basic healing spell is most helpful. So is knowing that your opponent can afford to throw exactly three strikes at you."

He moves to the side, allowing a blade bathed in light to manifest out of nothing in his place. The sword floats towards Sion, and the voice speaks once again.

"The time is come. Bid farewell to your bloodstained past."

There's only one thing to be done, really.

"So, not terribly difficult, in that case."

Well, it wouldn't be the first time Sion's taken up a mysterious, magical sword of some sort. Though this one appears to be distinctly less... Cursed? Malevolent? Demonic? Something like that.

If he stopped to let himself consider it, Sion might even think that this memory is an interesting mirror of his own experience. Or at least seems to be shaping up like that so far. Dispelling darkness rather than grasping, absorbing it. But that's something to potentially mull over later, in any case.

For now, clearly what's to be done is to reach out and grasp the sword of light floating before him.

The instant Sion touches the blade, he might feel... different. Brighter, lighter, perhaps. Or perhaps not. Who knows if such transformations truly apply in dreams?

They somewhat apply to Cecil, however. The clothes he bought in Kanto are gone, replaced by a brilliant white and blue armor. This new layer of protection gets a delighted smile out of him, before he moves asides towards the side of the room.

"Forsake the darkness you once embraced, or the light will find no hold. Vanquish the dark knight! You and he are one no more!"

Out of the mirror that forms the back wall of the shrine, the dark knight manifests.

Now, the figure clad head to toe in black armor isn't quite the same as the one Sion is all too familiar with. But, it's certainly far from dissimilar, and given all this talk of inner darkness, well. Suffice it to say that Sion's initial, kneejerk reaction is one of surprise and alarm, and no sooner has he laid eyes on the dark knight than he's already raised the sword in his hands. Defensively, for now, but to judge from his tenseness he's just as ready to strike should he feel the need.

Now might be a good time for some hasty explanations before he makes this far worse for himself than necessary.

"There are two of him!"

"What's happening?"

Tellah's words explain what is happening, in their own way. But Sion looks terribly alarmed, and the way he raises the sword might end badly, if Cecil does not intervene. Stepping away from the wall, he calls out.

"Do not strike him! The powers I once bore harm their user, even if that user is nothing but a shade of the feelings I had to suppress. As long as you keep a defensive position, you'll be fine."

Not that Sion will get much more time to pick his strategy, as the apparition raises its blade in turn.

"Cecil!"

"Look out!"

Sion keeps most of his focus on the apparition, but he does give a quick glance to Cecil out of the corner of his eye when called out to. The idea of effectively doing nothing rankles him a bit, but at least Cecil's warning is enough to snap him out of his initial reaction.

Not that it gives him much time to do anything else, but... Well, if staying on the defensive is the only option, at least that's still doable.

It doesn't stop his skin from positively crawling at the uncanny resemblance, though.

"It might be a good idea to tell them to stand back."

Would they have tried to interfere, had Cecil not done so? Perhaps not, but better safe than sorry. Especially now that the dark knight raises its blade, gathering a dark aura around itself. Such a strike could terribly injure their less-defended bodies.

"Remember: if the pain is too much, you should be able to access my healing magic. It is not very potent, but it'll suffice today."

A good thing to remember, now that the sword is coming down point first.

There's not much time left to react, but Sion does nod at Cecil's suggestion, glancing quickly over his shoulder at the group assembled behind him.

"Keep back!" he warns, before promptly turning his attention back to the apparition in front of him. He braces himself, holding his own blade defensively. Even if he can't strike back, he can still try to parry or block the majority of the blows.

And for anything he can't manage that much for... Well, healing magic or no, he's no stranger to enduring pain.

Even a simple defensive posture is good enough, as far as the memory is concerned. It'll suffice to keep Sion alive, certainly. All that matters is that he does not fight back.

Of course, the dark knight itself is not aware enough to appreciate that consciously. It merely strikes, and strikes once more, while Kluya's spirit offers what little advice he can, knowing what is to come.

"Justice and retribution are but trifling things. There are victories of greater worth. Someday you will know them."

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dreamsofahero - 2022-01-25 05:45 (UTC) - Expand

I want to Beheeyemlieve

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and now you get to see one of the reasons I HAD to go for this memory.... XD

Oh dear XD

poor Cecil just finding out bits of Sion's dark, traumatic canon all over the place in this event!

These memories were supposed to be trauma-free! And yet.

Sion brings his own trauma to the party!

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