paixaorpg | Falling Sky [active/open]

He'd had a bad feeling about today. Not that Laharl could put his finger on just WHY, exactly. His senses had felt so dull since he'd managed to seal his demon half; it was more than a little disconcerting for the young overlord. He was used to having extremely sharp senses, but now he felt almost blind sometimes.

Laharl didn't today need much in the way of senses, however, to notice the sudden rumble and hear the sound of what sounded like something crashing into the roof above them.

Then, before he'd barely began to process what was happening, the world around him began to fall apart.

Gwen had been napping not-entirely-comfortably at the kitchen table, head pillowed by her folded arms. She wasn't like Laharl; she had no ill feelings about the day, or anything like that. It was simply another day in Paixao. Quiet, even. But it had been a nice quiet to her, not anything eerie, not anything that would signify this.

At the first sound she snapped out of her sleep, pulling a muscle in her neck from the swift motion. She looked around her, flustered, trying to place in her mind what exactly the sound was. It wasn't anything in the apartment, so outside, then?

She moved away from the table towards a window, rubbing a hand over her neck at the twinged muscle. She didn't make it to the window, however, drawing to a sharp halt at a new sound, followed immediately by the room shaking around her. She looked up, fear building deep in her stomach, at the ceiling beginning to crumble.

It would be less trouble to her body to jump out the window than stay in a collapsing apartment, but...

"LAHARL!"

Flonne had been sticking close by Laharl since the "sealing incident," perhaps much to the overlord's annoyance. But Flonne was stubborn, as anyone who knew her could tell you, and she'd refused to leave him alone for very long.

So she was close by when the destruction began. "L-Laharl...?" She stared at the window, standing next to him, unsure what was going on. It was Gwen's sharp cry that snapped her out of it. A crack shook their apartment and she found herself moving.

He's only human now! Flonne shoved Laharl out of the way just as their ceiling gave way, the large cherub statue that had only moments before been affixed to the dome overhead crashing down on them, knocking Flonne out.

"Mom?!" he called back, hearing her cry out, but he was torn, eyes turning to Flonne beside him.

Human or not, Laharl's thoughts were still on grabbing Flonne's arm and somehow trying to protect her, but he didn't have the chance. He found himself suddenly shoved forward, as something came crashing down. Horror struck him as he realized what she'd just done. "F-FLONNE!" he cried, but there was nothing he could do. He knelt there numbly, as more ceiling began to come down.

If not for the stupid seal... This couldn't be it. It just COULDN'T.

This house was coming down with all of them or none of them as far as anyone was concerned it seemed. Gwen's thoughts were the same as Flonne's; Laharl was human right now (Gwen, of course, paid no attention to the fact that she was also human). Her and the angel had to make sure that he was safe.

Gwen pulled a risky move of diving towards the kitchen cabinets first and grabbing for pots. Impromptu helmets right there. It wouldn't do much, but it would at least keep her head relatively safe while she made her way, desperately, for her son. "Laharl! Laharl!" She stumbled over to him, her mind blipping a moment and wondering where Krichevskoy was.

There! She was just about to him - just a little closer -

- and then bits of ceiling pushed her away, crumpling around her, pot-helmet tumbling from her. She was still visible, coughing, trying to pull herself free before she heaved a breath and settled, looking at Laharl with a pained face. Yes, she was still worrying more about him than herself.

Krichevskoy, this can't happen. It can't.

She reached out a hand towards Laharl, and used the energy she had to cast Shield on him before the hand dropped to the trembling floor.

One moment his mother was coming towards him, then she was on the ground, pinned. For a moment, everything seemed to slow around him as she saw the look on her face; she looked in pain.

No.

No!

He cried out, reaching out desperately for her, but shield was cast around him then her hand hit the floor.

"NO! MOM!" he cried in anguish, as everything above them shift again, raining down more plaster and chunks, but he barely noticed. The people he cared for were about to die... die trying to protect HIM! This couldn't be REAL. It had to be a dream! It... it HAD to!

The sound of chunks hitting the magic shield and something wet from his face dripping down onto his hands was a quick reminder that, no, it was real and he was likely going to get crushed to death soon if he didn't get out of here before his mother's spell gave out...

Not that he could--not that he wanted to.

"F-Flonne... Mama..."

Clenching his fists, he realized there was only one option. There was only one way to save them.

Floor still shaking beneath him, he sat up on his knees and held out a hand, managing to summon forth the seal itself before him. That done, he began to concentrate, trying to gather what small trickle of power he had. The trickle was hardly note worthy, but it wasn't surprising it was there. It was an imperfect seal, after all. If it had been completely correct, there'd be nothing to find, but this one was more than a little flawed. It was a miserable speck, but now it was all he had.

Sweat formed on his scrunched up face, as Laharl stared at the seal. If there was a trickle of power coming through, there had to be a weak spot, or something, right? Summoning forth the little power he'd gathered, he fought against the seal trying to find that weak spot, bolts of energy crackling from the seal.

Break... dammit, BREAK already! More chunks of plaster were coming down and he felt something shift again beneath him. With a loud cry, he used everything left he had against the seal. There was a pulse of energy, then it shattered, vanishing from sight.

It took a moment, but then, oh how he felt it. Energy burst around him, swirling and pulsing, like a dam had broken. How good it felt! He wanted to cry out in joy! He wanted to LAUGH! But now was not the time. He could rejoice later. Laharl had other priorities. His plan was simple now: get his mother, get Flonne, then get them somewhere safe.

He went to his mother first, so frightened it was already too late, but it wasn't like he would leave her there, either way. He grasped the debris pinning her and easily hoisted it up with a single hand, other trying to stir her.

"M-mom? Mom!"

Edited 2012-07-23 21:36 (UTC)

Gwen drifted out of consciousness for a few moments there, but she came blinking to as the weight lifted from her and Laharl was shaking her. She blinked, slowly, surprised. Her eyes only focused on one thing: his eyes... were red again. Had the seal...?

"Laharl..."

She faded out again, head lolling against the floorboards. Then she gave herself a shake of her own, trying to stay awake. She had to keep helping Laharl. Flonne, too.

"I-I'm alright," she said, pushing herself up. Her body was more than alright, but she would manage until they were all safely out of the house. She wanted to ask about the seal, but there were other priorities first. "We have to get Flonne and get out of here, Laharl."

Flonne groaned quietly, muffled by the sound of destruction outside and the creaking of the apartment building crumbling around them. Pushing the statue off her with a little grunt, she slowly sat up and rubbed her head. "Ooh...that was close...Laharl?" She paused, glancing around. This wasn't their apartment. Blinking, she looked up at the hole in the ceiling that she and the statue must have fallen through. Wincing, she jumped up and through the hole, landing carefully back in the room where Gwen and Laharl were. Gwen was clearly dazed and hurt, but Laharl seemed none the worse for wear. In fact...

...in fact, he was lifting up something several times too heavy for a human to lift. Did that mean the seal had somehow broken? A little dazed herself, she remained silent, one hand to her head.

Edited 2012-07-23 22:24 (UTC)

Moving... she was moving. She was okay! Well, for the most part. He was certain she was worse than she was letting on, but she was alive, which was what mattered.

"I know," he replied, trying to help his mother the best he could with one hand, while the other still held up the debris. Once she was clear, he let it down carefully, blinking at the voice behind them.

"Flonne! You're--!" He hadn't expected her to appear suddenly. He'd thought he'd need to dig her out or... or something. He felt a little stupid, in hindsight, but no one had to know what had been going through his head. Either way, he was glad to see she seemed okay too--more or less. "...You okay?"

Meanwhile, he glanced around trying to figure out how best to get out. The way things were, he wasn't sure how much longer things would hold together. His glaze settled on the window. He'd have to move some fallen debris, but it seemed like the best means of escape. It wouldn't be a problem to go out there for him now. "Come on, let's get out through there!"

Flonne followed him to the window, but paused, glancing back. She could hear the frightened cries for help still inside. Biting her lip, she stood at the window and made a decision. "Go ahead and take Gwen-san to safety. I'm staying here to help the others!"

She gave him a peaceful smile, lifting up her staff. "You're back to normal, Laharl! You don't need me right now. I'll meet up with you in a bit, okay?"

Helping his mother towards the window, he began quickly clearing things away then shoving the window wide open, before turning back to Flonne, wide eye'd.

"But...!" His hand attempted to grab one of her wrists to halt her. Not that he could then say why he didn't like this sudden idea of hers, but he just didn't like it. Being separated didn't sound like a good idea.

With chaos all around them, she gave him a loving smile. She turned her wrist in his hand, maneuvering her fingers so that she could hold his hand. She leaned down, planting a kiss on his forehead. "I'm glad you're safe, Laharl..." she murmured quietly. "But Gwen-san is in trouble. You have to get her to safety."

Then with a smooth motion, she slipped out of his grasp and jumped backwards back into the broken apartment, falling down the hole in a graceful motion even as more of the roof fell down.

He was confused at first as she took a hold of his hand, and that quickly turned to stunned bashfulness. She... kissed him? He was also stunned to silence, unable to say anything before she'd slipped from his grasp, and had vanished back down into the lower part of the building.

It took a second to register what she'd even just done. "...Flonne! Wait!" he called after her, but it was far too late; she was gone. "Dammit..." he uttered, remembering he still had to get his mother to safety. He'd have to get her safe, then find Flonne.

Gwen hadn't really been with it, despite her earlier comment of being fine. She had kept together enough to walk, but her mind wasn't all with it. Sleepy. In her drowsy state though, she did get a nice view of Flonne's kiss and it made her heart flutter. Young love! If only Krichevskoy could see; she's sure he'd be feeling much the same.

She was sure that her husband was alright. He had his power back, right? He wouldn't let this get him down. She hoped he wouldn't forget the milk.

She sagged against Laharl. "She'll be careful, Laharl," she told him, confident in Flonne's abilities. "Someone needs to get these other people to safety, and she's the person for that job."

"I know... just..." He trailed off, still staring in the direction Flonne had taken off in, not able to put to words why he didn't like her going off like this.

"Let's get out of here," he said, changing the subject suddenly. They were in a collapsing building, after all. It was long since time they got out of it. "Can you still stand?" he asked her, trying to figure out how to do this. It would be easy enough to pick her up and hop out the building, but... that just seemed weird. On the other hand, it looked like she could barely stand.

Inhaling more dust from the collapse, Gwen was coughing again. She tried to push away from Laharl to support herself, but taking a few steps forward, her legs didn't quite cooperate with that plan. She reached out to find a piece of wall that was still intact.

"I wish I could say yes, but..." She shook her head, face scrunching in a bit of frustration.

Well, that answered that. Being weird didn't matter at this point. "Right," he replied, closing the distance between them, and scooping his mother up. "Hold on," he told her, as he stepped to the window, hopping up onto the sil, then stepping out the window, using his scarf to slow the short fall to the ground.

Promptly he Moved forward several paces to get away from the collapsing building, but then came to a dead stop, still holding his mother in his arms, as he stared across the city, shocked by the sight before him.

It was the domes! The domes were breaking apart and dropping onto the city. Laharl had been here so long now... seeing this now was utterly surreal to him. He couldn't believe it. What the hell had happened to cause this?!

Gwen made sure to hold tightly, but she knew Laharl wouldn't let any harm come to her. It was reassuring enough that she let herself relax enough to fade out again for a little while, until they were down to the ground.

His full stop jarred her though, and she lifted her head to look at what caught his attention.

"I-Is that -? But it... it can't be...!"

"What the hell..." he muttered finally, before remembering, OH YEAH, standing here holding his mom.

"...I guess we should find Dad?" he suggested to her. He needed to go find Flonne more than ever, but he didn't want to leave his mother on her own. His father was pretty much the person he could trust to keep her safe... well maybe Urd, but she was probably a busy trying to deal with this herself. He was sure he could see signs of magic and the like in the distance.

Yes... she wanted to see with her own eyes that her husband was safe.

She didn't say anything though. She managed a nod in agreement, before slipping out of consciousness, limp in Laharl's grasp, but her breathing was still steady.

"Mom...!?" he was a little alarmed at first when she went limp, but she seemed to still be breathing. Dammit, he should have at least gotten Flonne to heal her before she'd run off. That ditzy angel...

Adjusting his grip a little, he started into the city to try to find his father.

His mother now safely in his father's hands, Laharl quickly returned to the remains of the apartment. It seemed more had come down while he was gone. It wasn't exactly sad, but... he knew the apartment had meant something to his father and mother, so it was a little depressing to see it like this, but it wasn't like they could have stayed here forever.

Now... where the hell was Flonne? She better not be stuck in there...

"Flonne?!" he called, loudly.

"It's okay, it's just a little further...!" Her voice came from around the side of the building. There Flonne was supporting an injured man, setting him down on the ground. There was a crowd of people she'd helped out of the apartment building, all injured in varying degrees.

"There...okay, I'm going to try and heal you, okay? Please don't be worried!" Despite everything, she smiled brightly, smudged and scuffed though she was from all her efforts. Oblivious to Laharl, she went about casting her healing magic on the people.

It was comforting to once more have a better sense of things around him. Everything felt sharper again. The sound of her voice carried to him, and he made his way around the building. Well... she was fine, it seemed.

He hung back, watching her work, speaking up only when she was finished healing. "Flonne..."

Most of the people she'd healed were too happy to begin their escape out of the town, though a few cast her lingering glances as if they wanted to thank her. She smiled and waved, which prompted the stragglers to jolt and flee. Flonne sighed, turning slightly to smile sheepishly at Laharl.

"Oh...you came back." She started towards him but went to her knees, surprised. "Eh...l-looks like I reached my limit." She'd healed so many people that her mana was almost completely drained.

Falling Sky [active/open]

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