Brink of Delusion; Crystal's Shine ((Full))

[Draconia Crystalis]

Where It All Began

Link to the OOC Thread.

"My friend, it is time."

An aged man, probably about fifty in body, but ageless in mind, rose to his feet from his seat. His hard gray eyes stared ahead of him and he scratched at his graying blond beard. His gaze swept across the area, an endless expanse of light and wonder, with a single edifice upon which he had been sitting. Still, none of the glorious view around him could compare to the glow of the artifact he held in his hand.

Splendorous light shined up at his aged face, so bright that anyone else would have closed their eyes at its intensity, but he had gazed at such luminosity for so long that he no longer was pained by it. The light had cleansed him of his griefs as he now set to make amends for his greatest mistake. The Crystal in his hand pulsed as his desire to take action flared. Its transparent surface rippling with the power he would need in order to do what he intended to. The stone's reaction was perfectly natural, as the greatest amplifiers to Crystal power were will and determination, which he had in spades.

The man sighed, shifting in his scholarly green robes as he waited for the one he had called to arrive. Not that there was really much of a presence to arrive, as the one he waited had never appeared before him in physical form, only as a omniscient voice speaking from everywhere at once.

At last, he heard the voice he had been waiting for. "So it appears that you have made the modifications necessary for our plan to be realized?" a great and powerful voice, filled with both terrifying power and unwavering authority spoke to him, speaking from all direction as always.

"Yes, the Crystal is ready for you, as is the realm we have been observing," the man said, not the slightest bit intimidated by the voice anymore, for he knew that the entity would never harm him, a good friend.

"And everything is finished on my end," the great entity spoke, "The remnants from the great war we had staged together have all been sorted out and everything has been concluded. The only ones I wasn't able to find were 'It' and 'Him'."

The man's gaze hardened considerably and he raised his hand to hold the crystal at chest level. "We have no time to lose then, if 'It' cannot be found then that means 'It' is on the move. It will obliterate all of the other realms before coming to this one, and I need to prepare once I complete this task you have given me. We needn't worry about 'Him'. He isn't an enemy, and he we'll be no worse off even if he were to die. I know it is cruel to say this, but that swordsman is neither a threat nor is he useful."

"Agreed. We have no time to be kind when speaking about him, the fate of all rests on this," the entity confirmed, its voice becoming low and growled out, like that of a beast. "I have waited eons for this day to come, and you have my eternal gratitude for giving me this chance, Cid of the Lufaine."

The old inventor and renowned scholar laughed, having not heard his name spoken back to him for quite some time. "I should thank you, dear friend. I am forever in your debt for your forgiveness in the wrong I have committed against you, and for allowing me to make amends to you, my long-departed wife, and my son who I caused to suffer so much."

"This is true friendship," the voice stated, a slight touch of awe in its voice, "I have never been around one for as long as I have you, and have never known the bond of friends as I do now. Together, we have strived for our own goals, and supported each other in our mistakes and our struggles, and now the fruition of our union in arms has come. With this, you become like a father to me, and to you, I shall be as a second son."

The Crystal in Cid's hand floated up into the air, erupting in luminous brilliance as their wish together was being made into reality. Opposite of him, on the other side of the crystal, his eyes opened wide as he saw an enormous figure begin to appear before him. Like a great, silver snake, with two powerful claws stretched out of its torso, no rear legs to be seen, and a set of wide, leathery wings, his friend was everything he had imagined and more, a dragon like no other that made even Bahamut bow before him.

Their eyes met as the crystal grew brighter and brighter, eventually shrouding each from the other's view. "This is the first and last time I see you like this," Cid stated, already missing the constant presence of his only friend for countless years. "I hope to see you again one day, Shinryu."  

[Draconia Crystalis]

The World of Seilleanna(Say-lay-ah-nah)

Seilleanna is a world that has seen great strife, and great prosperity. Over thousands of years there have been countless periods of peace and war, spanning generations as nations rose and fell, and technology breathed life, and died out once more. The terrible history is the price that was paid for this world, as everyone fought for control over the Great Crystals, eight elemental obelisks, which granted their power only to a select few.

However, the more people that could wield Crystal Power, the more strife and conflict there was. So, the Crystals, being near sentient entities of a collective power, were altered by the memories they shared with the rest of the world. The Great Crystals vanished, and were reduced to a much smaller, personal size. Their power was still just as great as before, but by changing the laws of the world to better protect the lives of Seilleanna, they granted their power to only eight chosen, only in times of danger.

The Great Crystals had once been used as the power source, the lifeblood of livelihood on the planet, but with their power locked away against all but one each, the people of the world had no means of living the confortable and also frequently violent ways they had been.

While life became harder for many, it also became more peaceful. The many races of Seilleanna, the humans, the Sahagin, the giants, the Angeal, and the Nero Angealall had to learn to work together to an extent or they couldn't survive. Without the radiance of the crystals, monsters grew more commonplace, and with both technology and magic in decline, true skill as a warrior was a far more necessary trait in battle.

As time wore on, each race formed their own nations, each of them centered around an appropriate elemental crystal The Giants were earth, the Sahagin were water, the Angeal were light, and the Nero Angeal were Darkness. Humans, however, were the most common race, and took the remaining four crytals, Wind, Ice, Fire, and Lightning. Lightning was different though, with the people living under the lightning crystal largely being modified into cyborgs as they tried to reach a perfection in merging technology and nature. All these peoples and nations had a place in the world that was important, and all of them supported each other in order to live peacefully, united through the Crystals and their holy theocracy, Glorion Crystalis.

As time moved forward, nearing the present time, the Crystals' light had been dimmed for well over a century, but without warning calamity struck that brought the world to the edge of oblivion in an instant. A great beast emerged, its origins unknown, and began to lay waste all around. Nothing was safe from its power, and the few that managed to escape its wrath for a short while spread tales of how it leveled cities with a single sweep of its limbs and how they trembled before the gaze of its single, glowing red eye. Many called it the most terrifying aspect of the creature, an enormous red eye that saw all and rocked anyone it gazed upon to their core. Other than that, nothing was known about the form of the creature, as it only attacked at night, not allowing its full being to be seen by anyone that survived.

But when all hope was lost, the Crystals appeared, wielded by chosen warriors, the Warriors of Light. With Crystals in hand, eight warriors stood against the mysterious monstrousity, with a ninth, powerful man leading them. This man bore a Crystal that had never been seen before, one that was called the Crystal of Fate. Many deeds were accomplished by the wielder of the Fate Crystal, known to all now as Animus Altia, as he and the other Warriors of Light constantly fought the creature, protecting towns and cities with ferocity that no normal being could match. All life on Seilleanna would have been lost were it not for the enormous sacrifice made by Animus Altia.

As told by his comrades after the final confrontation, Animus took the creature on alone, and with all of his power, sacrificed his life in order to finally destroy the creature once and for all. The cost was more than just his life though, as the Fate Crystal was lost as well, shattered and scattered across the world. After that, the Warriors of Light disbanded, their Crystals also being lost in the flow of destiny. The Crystal of Fate was added to the lore of the Glorion Crystalis religion, and became the center of the entire worship system within a year, church officials taking the story and using recovered shards of the crystal to bring their followers together.

And Now...

Eighteen years have passed since the passing on Animus Altia, and his defeat of the Great Calamity, as it is called by Glorion Crystalis. Shards of the Fate Crystal have become the center of the world's attention, with everyone trying to get their hands on them for glory, money, honor, or whatever reason. And at the center of all of this, a young boy, orphaned and adopted to a noble family, is the key to stopping an even greater danger than before, one that lurks in the shadows, in a place no one can reach.

But he can't do it alone, he will need allies at his back. To set right what was made wrong, all TEN of the Crystals must shine side by side.

The Eight Crystal Nations

Lamina(Lah-mee-nah)

The Land of Light.

This land is inhabited by the Angeal, one of the only two races that retained a trace of their magical power after the loss of the Great Crystals. The Angeals are the founders of the Glorion Crystalis, and are a leading force in the alliance of the eight nations. The Angeals are named thus because using their magic, they can at will summon wings of light upon their backs, allowing them to fly through the sky like angels on high. The stronger of the Angeal can form that energy into a solid form, creating white, feathered wings.

Because of their magical prowess, some Angeals look down on other races, even their darker cousins, and seek to guide their actions as one would train a dog, thinking of them all as inferior. Though most Angeal have kind hearts, and would never consider such a thing. Most Angeals value honor and virtue in all else, and their more democratic system of government is led by several elected council members and a single Grand Chairman who oversees them all.

Lamina itself is a single, floating city, surrounding the world's highest point, Alexander Crest, an immense mountain that stretches beyond imagination to reach for the light of the heavens above. Somewhere at its incredible peak, lies the Temple of Cosmos, where the ceremony for the Chosen of Light is held, when the Crystal of Light arrives to choose its next bearer.

Terminus

The Land of Darkness.

This land is inhabited by the Nero Angeal, the dark opposites of the Angeal, though the term 'dark' does not make them evil, as some would be led to believe. They merely stand in apart from the Angeals, and from any who the Angeals "guide", not wanting to be looked down upon or told how to live, they wish to choose their own way and not be ruled by any but their own. As with the Angeals, Nero Angeals can manifest wings at will on their backs, though their wings are made of pure darkness. Stronger Nero Angeals can solidify them into black, feathered wings.

The hard life in their homeland has shaped most of their people into mighty warriors, and their favorite practice is the use of weapons that cause a variety of ailments on their foes. Their lands are under constant threat of attack for monsters, so they are always ready for a fight wherever they go. Their way of life is a very traditional one, with valor in battle being immensely important. Noble families rule over each village, and at their head, a single king and royal family are the pride of the entire Nero Angeal race.

The land of Terminus itself is entirely within the shroud of the world's largest, deepest, and darkest wilderness, the Diablos Forest. There, monsters are at their most common, causing havoc whenever they cross the villages of the area. The deeper into the forest, the stronger the monsters get, acting as a natural defense, because the Royal capitol is the deepest in the forest.

Still the woods stretch deeper, and in nearly untouched lands, the Tower of Chaos resides, where only the strongest Nero Angeals go to offer their prayers to the continued balance of Harmony and Discord.

Zarennki(Zah-ren-kee)

The Land of Fire.

This land is inhabited by humans who live by the ways of the sword and live for battle. Many of the inhabitants either have extensive training in weapon-making, or in combat using those weapons, and the best even have both. Discipline, obedience, and power above all else They are quick to find any way to hone their long-developed army, trained from a young age to live and relish in the tides of battle. They are content to not be fighting other people of the nations, but instead focus all of their might on killing monsters wherever they can, taking on greater and greater creatures.

Their way of life is strictly military from beginning to end. Children are raised to be soldiers, and they grow old or die young as soldiers. Hierarchy in their society is determined solely upon merits, prowess, and rank. The strongest, smartest, most ambitious achieve greatness, fame, and great honor. It is not uncommon for parents to quickly be surpassed by their own talented children.

Their nation is built in an area that is on the edge of a volatile volcanic hot-spot. Materials drawn from the flowing magma rivers are used in the development of new and stronger weapons in Ifrit's Forge, their famous weapons factory.At the center of the volcanic range of mountains lies a great, spherical volcano. No lava erupts from it, but the land around it explodes with fire and magma as it stands, unchanging and gray in the amber glow. Inhabitants have called this place the Pheonix Cradle.

Crylos(Krih-lohs)

The Land of Ice.

This land is inhabited by humans who strive in the pursuit of knowledge, and value wisdom, a calm composure, and education above all else. In the barren ice of the north, it is a perfect place for them to conduct their studies on all manner of fields. Unlike the people of Metrino, they do not limit themselves solely to the development of technology, though they do share discoveries and information with each other in that regard.

They are also the foremost authority in the nature of magic and the laws of nature. And while they cannot use magic themselves, they are able to advance far thanks to digitized recordings on the structure and power of the Great Ice Crystal while it still existed. With it, they are able to simulate its effect in digital renditions to perform their experiments. Their highest goal is the creation of artificial "Servant Crystals" inferior to the originals, but able to draw on some of the magic that permeates the fabric of the entire world.

Their nation operates much like a school would, except that teachers as well are constantly learning new things as the years go by. There is a counsel of the most superior minds that makes judgments on all research and thesis presented to them, as well as deciding national policies. The swaying authority, that helps the council make decisons, but has no decision of his own is the Headmaster, who serves as a mentor, counselor, and guide to all in Crylos.

Crylos is an arctic land, with howling winds, and an eternally raging, ever moving blizzard known as Fenrir's Bite. The hardships caused by this eternal winter phenomenon were overcome with time as cities were built under immense domes of ice, created with human assistance through the natural snowfall and melt-water that permeates the land. The capitol city, housing the largest library in all of Seileanna, known as the Hall of Shiva.

Metrino(Meh-Tree-noh)

The Land of Lightning.

This land is inhabited by humans who have delved deep into the ways of technology, some even forsaking part of their own flesh to become a mix of heart and circuitry. They make sure to never sacrifice their minds or hearts for science, but never ceasing to push the boundaries of what can be made to a machine. To them, technology is a sign of the future, and for now magic is falling behind with the lack of the Great Crystals. None will deny that they wish they could combine the use of magic and technology to make even greater achievements, but they see that as nothing more than a dream, and don't believe that the creation of Artificial Crystals is possible, calling it a fool's errand.

Metrino can best be described as an economic government. The best way to describe it is that the whole nation is run by business, and the biggest corporations have the largest sway. Everyone in the nations deals in some form of business, be it working in a factory, to installing, upgrading, and repairing cybernetic implants and limbs. There is always a profit to be made in this country, and working to the top means doing business with all of the nations, or else you'll always be overshadowed.

Metrino is an enormous metropolis city, spanning the entire space of the nation. The entire city is always lit up, even through the dead of night, and the factories run through all night and day. All of this is thanks to power drawn from an enormous geo-thermal energy plant, the Ixion's Horn, called such by the fact that it is like a long spike embedded deep into the earth. There is help as well from Tylem's own energy contribution. The last source of energy to this electric-leech of a city is Ramuh's Staff, an enormous Lightning Rod constructed to draw in lightning from any thunderstorms that come to the area, which are fairly common.

Iriem(Ee-ree-ehm)

The Land of Water.

This land is inhabited by the Sahagin, once monsters, who have evolved out of their primal tendencies and become sentient. They are much like mer-folk, living in and on the water, only instead of how the fairy tails tell of mer-folk having a fish-tail, Sahagin walk on two legs, with webbed membranes between their fingers and toes. Their skin is a mix of soft, borderline moist skin, and fish scales, their light blue color shining reflectively in light. The Sahagin are a surprisingly peaceful race, despite their monster origins, living in seclusion from all but a few groups of other nations.

Their life is ruled by a sub-theocracy within Glorion Crystalis, in which worship is payed to the Crystals, as well as to their own private god and Goddess, Leviathan and Undine respectively. This mini-church is led by a grand Matriarch, a beautiful woman of wisdom and insight and bravery chosen once every four decades, and assigned eight elite guards to follow and protect her at all times. They pray to keep all of the blessings in their fortune, and in all that they receive from water, their birth, their homes, and their sustenance.

Iriem is an ocean city, half submerged, half rising from the surface of the ocean, far off from the coast. It is kept afloat with technology unique to the Sahagin, developed at an astonishing rate from the time they ceased to be monsters. With this technology, they keep themselves mostly isolated and protect their Undine Rift deep under the sea from being contaminated by pollutants from the industrial nations of Metrino and Zarennki, which has caused much hostility between the nations because the Rift holds their greatest treasure, the Leviathan Pearl

Tylem(Tie-lem)

The Land of Wind.

This land is inhabited by humans with an adventurers spirit. Their homeland stays mostly underdeveloped because a majority of the people spend their lives exploring the world over and living their lives free. Many take on whatever trade they need to, from circus performer, to mercenary, to freelance-worker for any odd-job another nation needs done. They are by far the most accepted nation by all others, as they stay completely neutral in all disagreements and hold no stance of their own do to the small size of their own nation. They are, however, particularly friends with the Sahagin and Giants of Iriem and Renara.

The people of wind have a very laid-back and whimsical way of life, which is evident in contrast to the strict structure of other nations. Instead, they have a simple mayoral/council system where all people participate as they see fit. The capitol holds some authority over all of the others, but for the most part, they act like entirely separate governments the majority of the time.

Tylem itself is set deep inside the Pandemona Canyons, where endless wind blows through the many cliff-side cities. The primary source of power in the area is wind power, with thousands of turbines placed throughout the many rock faces, powering the many villages that are scattered around. The greatest source of wind energies come from where all of the canyons intersect, all of the winds blowing towards the center point and creating an enormous upward spiral of tempestuous wind called the Taimat Crossing. They supply this power to any that need it, particularly the Sahagin and Giants, who have no power source of their own.

Renara(Reh-nah-rah)

The Land of Earth.

This land is inhabited by Giants, a tribal race of beings twice the height of humans and three times as broad and muscular. Some people see Giants as dumb, lumbering muscle-heads, but they would be surprised at how wise and compassionate they are despite their brutish appearance and traditions. Their greatest prides are battle and age, with the oldest, strongest warriors being elevated to elder and finally Chieftain status. However, their pride lies not in the sole success of a single warrior. While a single warrior will be recognized for exceptional ability, their true pride is working together, as a united force, as a true tribe of brothers. Their fellow tribesmen are their pride and their people show a level of union and companionship rarely even seen among small groups of friends in other nations.

Their way of life, is as described, a simple tribal system, with warriors at their head as the old and wise leaders. However, battle is not the sole aspect of their lives, as mining is just as important to them. Throughout countless years, with their immense strength, they have carved countless, endless tunnels, known as the Minotaur Caves that wind around the world, harvesting gems and ores to trade with other nations, but also allowing in the creation of the greatest international travel system in the world, turning these winding, dark tunnels into brightly lit train tunnels, connecting to every nation, even the shore closest to the water nation of Iriem.

Renara itself is an area of land composed entirely of forested mountains, where creatures of a more avian nature are common. Great birds, terrifying dragons, and other flying beasts dominate the area, preying on the less intimidating, less powerful creatures bound to the ground. There is rumored by many Giants to be a great cave in the face of one of the mountains, wherein resides a treasure trove of mineable resources, the greatest in the world, and many have named it after the spirit that the Giants believe brought them into existence, they call it Titan's Horde.  

[Draconia Crystalis]

The Warriors of Light
Crystals glowing in hand, whether they want to or not, their responsibility is innescapable.

Crystal of Light

Name: Jolyre Aegis
Age: 19
Gender: Female
Race: Angeal
Nation: Lamina
Bio: Lady Jolyre Aegis. An Angeal of stature and the first and only born into the Aegis family. Her childhood got cut short at 8 when her mother, Alessa Aegis, died of illness, a rarity for the Angeals of the Light Nation. She retreated into herself, preferring to spend more time alone. She became especially close to her father, Alexei Aegis, learning the trivialities of lordship and the mastery of short-range weapons. Jolyre grew mature and cynical too fast for her age.
At 17, the Crystal of Light chose Jolyre as its wielder. Although this came as a shock to many, Jolyre was delighted to be bearer of the Light Crystal for her nation. It was a beautiful night, the night of ceremony. Lights strung up and a gleaming pavilion packed with Angeals. Jolyre was all smiles and beauty as she ascended the stairs to receive the crystal. She looked around for the warm and approving face of her father. It wasn't there. Why wasn't it there? Surely, he should've been there to see her glorious moment? they went through the motions and Jolyre was granted the crystal. The banquet came and went and soon it was all over. Alexei had never showed. Jolyre, puzzled and angry, went to bed. She woke up to learn that Lord Alexei Aegis was dead. No one knew how..or why..and they wouldn't tell her where he'd gone that night.
Now completely reserved, Jolyre was moved to Glorion Crystalis. Several maids kept watch on her, but Jolyre refused to be around or bond with anyone. she spent her days honing her skills with both the crystal and her gauntlets, fueled by the rage of revenge. The world took her mother, and not 8 years later did it steal the only friend she had left. Jolyre vowed to seek out his cause of death( she knew it was no accident.)
Jolyre travels, looking for clues to her father's murder, but often reports back to the Glorion Crystalis, who took her in for the last two angry and sheltered years of her life.
Personality: Jolyre has an extreme sense of purpose and a bit of a superiority complex. She is often rude, hateful, and reserved, but Jolyre is brilliant and charismatic. She uses sharp and angry words as a wall between her and the world. Behind her icy wit and mean stature, there are hints of her former delicacy. She's fragile and easily enraged if you bring up her parents. But if nothing else can be said for the Lady Jolyre Aeon, she's honest to the point of brutality, has great resolve, and confidence in her abilities and decisions.
Appearance:

Powers: Light, commonly mistaken for the power to heal only, requires discipline. When one has a complete understanding and a sense of order, light is easy to manipulate. Raging into battle, blinding opponents, one go so far as to harness the raw form of Light to utilize its orderly and holy, searing rays. It can also be used to create an aegis around oneself or used to heal.
Weaknesses: Having wings, Jolyre finds it troublesome trying to fly in heavy winds. She has an almost crippling fear of the dark, not to mention that it makes her weak due to light being her theme. She's also sensitive to the topics of her parents and the strangeness of her childhood.
Crystal Weapon: The Crystal of Light grants her two long-bladed gauntlets that shimmer with its power and two small, double hand guns that shoot light aura.
Eidolon: Alexander
Other: Will add when applicable
Played by: Lythe Aeon

Crystal of Darkness

Name: Rodrigo (“Rigo”) Dragoni
Age: 19
Gender: Male
Race: Nero Angeal
Nation: Terminus
Bio: As the first born and originally the only child of the Dragoni’s, Rodrigo was set to be the heir of the noble family and he was raised to be so, as a role model to others. When Giovanni was first adopted, Rodrigo greeted him with joy, being too young to completely understand the complicated nature of humans and Nero Angeals not liking each other. He learned soon enough, but never stopped standing up for his brother, and while others didn’t like that at first, they eventually came to accept and respect Giovanni as a Dragoni… with some convincing.

When Rodrigo was 17, the Crystal of Darkness was discovered, and for whatever reason, he was to be its bearer. Rodrigo hadn’t been expecting that and had just dismissed the Crystals stories as simply stories that wouldn’t effect the present. However, he agreed because it was his duty as a member of the nobles to serve the people’s best interest. Unfortunately, the ceremony didn’t go as planned. An assassin caused a ruckus, things got complicated, and everyone died except for himself and Giovanni. Fortunately, he was able to activate and quickly learn how to use the Crystal’s powers. However, Rodrigo knows the complete truth of what happened even though Giovanni can’t remember anything. He cannot and will not say anything about it around Giovanni.

After wards, with no one in the family left, Rodrigo took his brother on a journey to track down the assassin’s employer and cause of the unfortunate event. As the last of the Dragoni’s, he’s intent on keeping them both alive and uncovering more about the event and his brother.
Personality: As the Dragoni heir, Rodrigo is usually calm, serious, and respectful as he is expected to be as the future heir and the first born. However, he’s got a more carefree fun side hidden behind that facade. Like the former Giovanni, Rodrigo enjoyed challenges and exploring, but he is nowhere as rowdy as Giovanni was and if he even tried to be, he was scolded. Rodrigo is protective of Giovanni. But ever since the fateful incident around the Crystal of Darkness, he has become even more protective of his adoptive brother and sometimes, maybe too much so. He’s also become more optimistic for Giovanni’s sake and tries to get Giovanni back to himself and not as lost. Because of Giovanni’s condition, Rigo has found that he’s had to start from the basics again. Rodrigo also tries to avoid fights for Giovanni’s safety. Even though Rodrigo may have doubts about situations, he maintains a strong face for his brother.
Appearance:

Powers: The powers of darkness are difficult to grasp in nature, as they are inherently mysterious. As such, the Crystal's power is more on the subtle side on one hand, allowing the user to create shadow and hide in darkness to attack with surprise and unrelenting force, or allow the user to create many debilitating effects in the opponent, such as poisoning or stunning them. But Darkness is a very powerful element as well, being wield-able in its raw form to cause considerable damage. Creativity is the only limit to the forms of attacks that can be performed by the wielder.
Weaknesses: Since Giovanni is his dear brother, Rodrigo will do his best to help Giovanni and save him if something happens. He doesn’t want Giovanni to know what happened two years ago yet. When there’s too much wind, Rodrigo has problems when his wings are out and if he’s trying to fly. Rigo is also weak to light, the opposite of dark.
Crystal Weapon: A sword coated in a black aura; A gun that fires darkness.
Eidolon: Diablos
Other: Nothing at the moment, but will add if something comes up.
Played by: Scythe de Zaran

Crystal of Fire

Name: Miya
Age: Late 30s
Gender: Female
Race: Human
Nation: Zarennki
Bio: Not much is really known about Miya. No one knows her last name and many doubt her first. What is known about the women is that she traveled heavily in her youth before settling back into (what she claims to be) her hometown. Her father was a skilled weaponsmith before he passed on and left his daughter all of his earthly possessions. Miya has recently been dabbling in weapon making, but does not share the skill of her father. Instead, she takes on the traits of her mother, which is to say, Miya is a fine combatant. Living in a warrior society, Miya enjoys sparring with the up and coming youths and quietly living her life alone.
Personality: Miya is extremely kind, but has a quick temper. This is balanced by her passion for things in life and her determination in all that she does. Miya seems to be a loner, but not is all that it seems.
Appearance:

Powers: Skilled with the control and power of flame, Miya prefers the destructive force behind fire. Like her preferred weapon the whip, Miya can send out tendrils of fire to trap, destroy, or disable. If the weapon in her enemy's hand is of sub-par quality, she's been known to melt it right in their hand.
Weaknesses: Miya has very few friends and keeps to herself. She's easily swayed into fighting due to her temper and desire to prove herself. As far as her power over fire, she is easily overcome by ice. Miya hates the cold.
Crystal Weapon: When needed, Miya's crystal becomes a long whip which she wields with ease..
Eidolon: Ifrit
Other: After settling down and living a life of solitude, Miya packed up one night a few years ago and disappeared into the night. The townsfolk keep up repairs on her house, assuming she'll return.
Played By: Denyala

Crystal of Ice

Name: Orin Beleren
Age: 21
Gender: Male
Race: Human
Nation: Crylos
Bio:

Orin is one of the few and rare people in the Nation of Crylos to be able to use magic. Orin was born into an otherwise normal family but due to Orin's powers Manifesting, they were more respected and well informed in the later years. Orin's Parents were Professors at the Academy in Crylos. However, when the council caught the news that Orin could use Ice Magic they decided it would be wise to involve them in the Servant Crystals Project. Ever since then Orin was sent to expeditions for the Servant Crystals Project.

On the expedition to the former site of the Great Crystal the expedition party that he was in was attacked by bandits. Orin used all his knowledge of Ice magic as he read in ancient books but his strength was not enough to take on all of the bandits. Struck down and weakened, Orin prepared for the worst. That is until a brilliant light shined from within the former site of the Great Crystal of Ice. After the light receded, Orin opened his eyes to him clutching the actual crystal of Ice in his hands and the bandits frozen in place. All Orin remembered was a voice telling him that there were others like him and that the time for all crystals to meet once more is at hand. With that Orin went back to the main city of Crylos and set out to travel the world to meet the other crystal weilders

Personality: Since Orin has been in a school type society for all his life Orin is rather quiet and level-headed. He however, is not much for small talk and stupidity, and Orin gets quite easily annoyed by this. He could also bit a little bit condescending.
Appearance:

Powers:
-Shards of Winter: Orin focuses condensed Ice on his fists and unleashes them as razor sharp shards of Ice on his opponents.
-Ice Age: Orin removes heat from the area turning the weather in the vicinity Ice cold. It could freeze opponents if there is enough moisture floating around the area.
-Crylos Armor: Since he is not very proficient with weapons, Orin wraps himself in ice acting as his armor.
-Hailing Blizzard: As the name suggests, Orin freezes the water in the air and hails down Razor sharp ice shard around surrounding enemies.
Weaknesses:
-Due to Orin's academic background, he can easily be distracted by rare books or ancient tomes.
-Orin is also weak against women in which he gets distracted by them
-Fire seems to be his Elemental weakness.
Crystal Weapon: Ice Talwar or as Orin calls it "Fenrir's Fang"
Eidolon: Fenrir(Ice-wolf)
Other: Nothing yet
Played By: Vizzion

Crystal of Water

Name: Kasumi
Age: 19
Gender: female
Race: Sahagin
Nation: Iriem
Bio: Kasumi grew up in a wealthy family. They weren't noble but still lived a very happy life. She was very close to her father until he went off on a journey and has been missing for years. She wants to go search for him but her mother holds her back from going outside of Iriem. When Kasumi turned 18, she was given a necklace that had the crystal of water. Her mother told her that the crystal was found by her father and he wanted her to keep it as a charm. Little did they know was that the crystal choose Kasumi to be its wielder. When she turned 19, her mother wanted Kasumi to accept an arranged marriage with a boy from a noble family. Refusing the marriage, Kasumi fled from home. She knows she can't return home and set out to explore the other nations.
Personality: Kasumi is very lively and likes to explore. She can make friends easily and make enemies just as quickly due to her curious nature. She is fun loving and doesn't like to fight.
Appearance:

Powers: Water is a free flowing power that can manipulate into anything as long as the user is careful. Kasumi can manipulate water into many different shapes. Her favorite water-based powers are creating a long stream of water that she can control like a whip or to bring her weapon back to her side and using it as a shield to protect herself or others.
Weaknesses: Kasumi is very curious which gets her into more trouble than she can handle and usually gets hurt. Thunder is her elemental weakness.
Crystal Weapon: the crystal becomes a long spear that she can bring back to her side quickly with a string of water.
Eidolon: Undine(Sahagin Goddess)
Other: none yet
Played By: Kasumi the Ocean

Crystal of Thunder

Name: Suri Ne'taal
Age: 32
Gender: Male
Race: Cyborg
Nation: Metrino
Bio: Suri is the son of a little-known inventor in Metrino. 'Little-known' being because his father's real job is only a researcher's acolyte, but who secretly performs experiments of his own that could be classified as...unethical. This is what drove off Suri's mother, leaving him alone with his father. Idolizing his father for his near-perfect fusion with machinery and his ever-questing nature for knowledge, Suri never hesitated to participate in, and even become, his father's experiments. The result has left him with a fusion of human and machinery that pushes the current limits on morals and ethics within the Metrino community while earning him the intrigue of many for his near-seamless bonding to metal. But for the most part, he is considered quite normal as any other cyborg because the prototype weapon was just a synthetic crystal. But on the day Suri received the lightning crystal, his abilities doubled if not tripled and he became a sort of scientific icon to the community. However, this has not all been glory and fame, militants within the higher ranks of Metrino society have taken a keen interest in his combat capabilities and are constantly trying to rope him into their 'services'. Suri hates to fight other humans, but fears this will be the result as their attempts are getting more violent. No longer safe within his own community, Suri is entertaining thoughts of traveling afar and seeing the world, to use his chosen crystal to make it a better place if he can.
Personality: Suri is friendly for the most part, as human as can be despite his metal parts and wires. He enjoys life and absolutely loves to laugh. He rarely gets angry and can get quite philosophical when in the mood, often eliciting much witty conversation from others with like minds. In the instances where he has fought, he is found to be cold and efficient, becoming a 'dead-machine' in battle that leaves human frailties behind. But such frailties usually come back to haunt Suri when the battles are over. If he is ever forced to kill a human, chances are he's going to become extremely sorrowful and withdrawn for awhile.
Appearance:

Powers: Experiments done by his father have left much of his chest cavity hollowed out for use as a prototype weapon that deals in absorbing and releasing energy. Absorbs primarily electrical energy to power the weapon (crystal) in his chest, *humans DO produce electrical energy, so you are fair game to Suri*. All energy is absorbed primarily through physical contact and is voluntary unless in critical condition. When enough energy is built up, it can be released through the hands through physical contact or fired as a concentrated beam from the chest cavity itself, termed by the Metrino scientists as a "Static Beam". *can severely deplete Suri's combat effectiveness once Static Beam is fired.*
Crystalline Maw- While it does leave Suri very vulnerable, this is one of his most devastating attacks. When enough energy is gathered to activate this function, the hinged doors of his chest fling wide open and extend out in front of Suri. The Lightning Crystal is completely exposed at this point and begins generating a compressed vortex that draws in anything in front of Suri within a certain range. This also reveals a mass of contorted machinery and crystals affixed to the insides of his metal chest. When extended, these tiny bits of crystal and machinery begin to whirl in complex radial patterns at high speeds, essentially creating a horrid grinder for anything sucked in by the vortex. Suri is immobile and usually in a kneeling position for this attack to work but is left completely exposed on his flanks and rear.
Weaknesses: If absorbing too much energy of any type, or if absorbing impure energies, may become 'intoxicated' by it and be effectively useless until the sensation clears his systems. His powers are largely ineffective against undead monsters and especially ineffective against Earth Elementals due to their ability to absorb a lot of damage/energy. Suri can't swim due to his machine parts making him a bit too heavy.
Crystal Weapon: Lashand- Develops deep yellowish-orange crystalline growths on the forearms that extend past his arms to form larger and fully functional claw-hands that act like miniature sharp whips. This increases the range and power of Suri's attacks and increases the volatility of all energy absorbed/released.
Eidolon: Ixion
Other: Suri loves to tinker with things like machinery, weapons, and armor. He abhors the use of any weapon other than his own body. And due to a certain traumatic event from early childhood, when he can, he prefers to kill certain avian monsters in a very 'dazzling' fashion. Has a big problem with killing humans and if he is forced to, will probably lose a lot of sleep over it and become very depressed for a time.
Played By: Dreiyan

Crystal of Wind

Name: Harrier A'Cal
Age: 26
Gender: Male
Race: Human
Nation: Tylem
Bio: Harrier had grown up in Cecil, a large but homey town on the ledge of the great Pandemona Canyons, actually the farthest major city from Taimat Crossing. He grew up in a family of eight siblings plus parents, having three older brothers, one younger and the rest sisters. His home lies closer to the bottom of the canyons, not far from the main crossing to Renara; the bordering country on the west. Having the practical skills of taking care of his family, while the two oldest took farther off jobs, he decided to take the job of a Ranger; patrolling the deadly canyon sides of rouge monsters and dragons. The Ranger Guild is one of the most popular features in Tylem, and have outposts and stations all around the country. He was apprenticed at a young age and knows the cliffs, valleys and ridges well. Along with the knowledge of the countries' (and close Renara's) fiends and plant life, he knows not so much about the culture and more of the beasts themselves.
The whole town was surprised when the Crystal of Wind, the crystal that the shrine in Renara had protected, chose him to be the guardian of it at the age of twenty; none more than his adventurous, dragon riding friend, Alane. Despite conflicting personalities, a more down to earth than the wind of the crystal, it has worked to an advantage in battle.
Personality: Due to a large and sometimes stressing family full of misfits, Harrier has extreme patience. He's calm and reserved, taking in the sights while observing everything that's going on; making his own opinions. He doesn't have the most education, but he is logical. Being a ranger took him away from the rest of the people, it was a joke that the occupation was a race in itself, despite having a large family waiting at home, and he prefers working alone or with few people than a large group. After getting prodded in the back side by his best friend, saying that he should take up some leadership roles since becoming a Crystal Bearer, he put himself up to higher tasks in the town, guild and at home. He is straight to the point and most of the time would rather just state his opinion and not ask others before a choice is made, but is a good enough leader.
Appearance:
Weapons: Although in the tough wind terrain of Tylem, bow and arrow are actually quite practical for long distance. Harrier wields the common ranger equipment (archery and scimitar), along with his double Selkin swords.
Powers: The harsh but invisible wind leaves the enemy open to attack, the power that comes with the the Crystal does just that. Enemy defense is greatly decreased and speed is heightened with it in presence. It can sweep in large areas, clearing paths and knocking over enemies, sometimes stunning them. Wind is natural, and being highly underestimated in its strength with other elements.
Harrier's wind attacks sometimes leaves negative status effects on the enemy and positive on allies.
Weaknesses: Harrier can't think on a dime, being slower but having a harder hit. A more- up front 'attack the enemy' but he does have strategy when he actually tries. He has patience but once he snaps he can have a temper, which lasts for days being snappy and quick to fight (berserk). His attacks have no damage on earth elements, and can sometimes attack both enemy and friend when open elements are used (fire, water and earth).
Crystal Weapon: Since guardianship of the Wind Crystal he can use range attacks using his swords; using Turbine and Cyclone as his power related. The Selkin swords have been encased in a thin film of wind, causing wind slices to emit from the blades even during melee fighting.
Eidolon: Pandemona
Other: Although not as adventurous in heart, he gladly follows his friend, Alane, in her 'evil and awesome' quests of her own.
Controlled by: Black Claided Cat

Crystal of Earth

[b]Name:[/b]
[b]Age:[/b]
[b]Gender:[/b]
[b]Race:[/b] Giant(Mandatory)
[b]Nation:[/b] Renara
[b]Bio:[/b]
[b]Personality:[/b]
[b]Appearance:[/b] (Make it a link with the character's first name.)
[b]Powers:[/b] (Make some Earth-based techniques.)
[b]Weaknesses:[/b] (Use personal weaknesses, and the elemental weakness as well.)
[b]Crystal Weapon:[/b] (The Crystal becomes a magical weapon for the wielder based on their abilities.)
[b]Eidolon:[/b] Minotaur Brothers
[b]Other:[/b] (Anything Else?)

Crystal of Fate
The enigma of the past, perhaps this tale will reveal the truth of the man and the battle that took place eighteen years ago.

Name: Animus Altia
Age: ???
Gender: Male
Race: Human?
Nation: ???
Bio: Animus never had any personal interaction with anyone other than the other Warriors of Light, and had them sworn to secrecy to never reveal the nature of his past, or anything about him.
Personality: Animus was a man who undoubtedly had a strong and kind heart, with courage abound and the strength to back it up. But still, no one other than the Warriors of Light truly knew who he was and what he was like. All the world can do is speculate, since the ones that remain will not talk.
Appearance:

Powers: Enigma that he was, Animus' powers were enormous and unfathomable. The depths of it seemed bottomless as he could call enormous amounts of raw energy forth to slaughter his enemies. There was undoubtedly more to the power than just raw force, but no one could discern its nature
Weaknesses: Animus' Crystal Power was not present long enough for anyone to discern a weakness to it, since if one cannot fully grasp the nature of a person's power, one cannot know its weakness, and none of his companions would divulge anything they knew. In the end, he only died because he faced a foe of unreal strength, not because of any weakness.
Crystal Weapon: The Crystal of Fate long ago would become a ball of energy that hovered over Animus' hands. With his bare hands and with that orb to help call upon his power, he fought like no other.
Eidolon: Bahamut (With normal, Neo, and ZERO forms)
Other: Rumors say that in his final battle, the apparently human Animus grew wings of a dragon. But since the fight was only seen from a great distance away, the rumor us unconfirmed.
Played By: Draconia Crystalis

???Crystal???
Every Crystal has its opposite, but what of Fate? Would a power that defies fate be a benevolent power, were it to exist? And what kind of power would it be?
(This Crystal bearer is completely reserved and will be revealed if we can get far enough in the story.)

[b]Name:[/b]
[b]Age:[/b]
[b]Gender:[/b]
[b]Race:[/b]
[b]Nation:[/b]
[b]Bio:[/b]
[b]Personality:[/b]
[b]Appearance:[/b]
[b]Powers:[/b]
[b]Weaknesses:[/b]
[b]Crystal Weapon:[/b]
[b]Eidolon:[/b]
[b]Other:[/b]

 

[Draconia Crystalis]

Other Characters

Name: Giovanni ("Gio") Dragoni
Age: 17
Gender: Male
Race: Human
Nation: Terminus
Bio: Orphaned when he was just an infant, Giovanni was a human who was adopted by the Nero Angeal family of nobles, the Dragoni family. Even though he couldn't use any magic, and even though he couldn't fly like any of the other kids his age, he was still accepted by most as an honorary member of the race, and he learned a lot about how to act from them, how to behave with dignity, and how to stand for what he believed in no matter what.

He had an almost perfect life there, short off the occassional bullying for being human and not Nero Angeal, but he always had his older brother there to help him out in those tough spots. He and his brother were as close as sibblings could possibly.

His whole life was shattered, though, on the fateful day two years ago that the Darkness Crystal was found, and his brother was discovered to be the one destined to inherit its power. A huge ceremony was heldd in his honor, but that gathering became a huge pile of corpses in an instant, just before his brother was about to receive the crystal. The trauma caused him to blank out and forget the entire incident, only to awaken in a pool of blood, with his dead relatives all around him. Off in the distance, his brother stood over the body of someone he had never seen before. He said it was an assassin that had come in suddenly and slaughtered everyone, and his brother only killed him by unlocking the power of the crystal he had received in the ceremony.

From that day on, both Giovanni and his brother have wandered the world, searching for the ones responsible for their parents' deaths, and deaths of all the people at the ceremony. It was more so his brother that decided to do it, as Giovanni had undergone a drastic change from his old self, and was merely tagging along for fear of losing the only relative he had left and the only person that would protect him.
Personality: Giovanni used to be a rowdy and fearless kid, living life to the fullest, and was always ready for a challenge. That all changed when his family was slaughtered by an unknown assassin. The trauma of the incident caused him to draw inward into a tight shell, and he became a cowardly, shaking shadow of his former self. Along with his old personality, a large chunk of his memory from that moment on had been wiped clean because of the trauma. He might as well be an entirely different person for all anyone is concerned.
Appearance:

Powers: He has no extraordinary powers to speak of, as he does not possess a Crystal.
Weaknesses: Giovanni is practically a bag of weaknesses. His cowardly nature since his personality change have left him completely inept in any sort of combat, and he is awkward in conversations with anyone he has just met, especially females. He hardly knows what to do with himself without someone to guide him along, and because of that he can be too trusting and it can wind up hurting him or getting him in trouble.
Played by: Draconia Crystalis

Name: Alane Shoudu
Age: 21
Gender: Female
Race: Human
Nation: Tylem
Bio: Alane grew up in Cecil, a large town on the ledge of the great Pandemona Canyons, along with Harrier. She lives with her father on an upper level of caverns not far from the forests. Having never known her mother, for understandable reasons, she is more of a rolling in the dirt kind of girl; but what is to be expected of a lady of Tylem? Just that. She is a proud free goer, and is happy to have been born in such an open land, where every one and everything is equal. Her best friend since coody days is Harrier A'Cal, a Ranger who at age twenty gained guardianship of the Wind Crystal. She met him (or rather he met her) when she was five and slipped and fell into the river having heard about a sea monster coming to the waters from Iriem and come to explore. He saved her from drowning, one thing led to another and ever since then they've been best friends despite the slight age gap.
She's the stereotypical adventurous Tylemies on crack; having the pleasure to go Wyrum riding, Sleipnir tipping and 'tease the Cockatrice'. She told her father that once she got out of her childish faze she'd become a mercenary, surprisingly he approves.
Alane has trained a Wyrum, whom she calls Maurik, and travels with him in flight and on ground. Good thing, too, since she has an extreme dislike for Chocobos since a young age. She also has a good knowledge of herbs and wound healing, and often helps out with the rangers when they find injured travelers; or just plain helping the guild out. In return she likes to camp out at their outposts during the day (and many sandstorms); even though the buildings aren't even their own, grateful people lend their taverns and inn to the guild's pit stops and breaks.
Personality: Alane likes having fun and making people laugh. She isn't all that sensible to her surroundings, and is sometimes totally oblivious. Alane is a bold person; not afraid to make the first move, but smart enough to known when to not to. Inside that hard shell of excitement and childishness, Alane's a caring and maternal person.
She is very proud to know about the animals and customs of Renara, having spent a long while in the country, and loves to talk about her own. She loves to meet knew people and gets along well with many, but she does have a tendency to over react sometimes.
Appearance:
Weapons: Alane has a short sword and a dagger, mostly using the pair for a lethal, speedy combo. Due to her adventures she can think on her toes and she acts quickly, the opposite of Harrier, who thinks before he strikes.
Weaknesses: Alane has poor defense, but parries moves using her speed. She has light leather armor to protect herself, but not enough to cover most damage.
Other: Friend to Harrier, bringing him along and making him participate in some of her activities. She also has a extreme dislike for Chocobos and will try to get out of any situation dealing with them.
Controlled by: Black Claided Cat

???
Who is this mysterious foe? When will he surface, and what is his purpose?

 

[Draconia Crystalis]

Rules

1. No God-modding. I don't like doing it, and I don't like anyone else doing it, so let's all try to work together on this, okay?
2. Romance is encouraged, but no cybering. Period. End of Story. This is Gaia, not an erotica site. We have standards.
3. Make sure that you follow your character profile description as closely as possible. Character development is a different story, but that should be obvious.
4. You can play more than one character (Even Crystal Bearers), that is fine with me. I will likely play a few un-profiled NPCs of my own, but really significant NPC characters I will try to make profiles for so you all know the deal with them.
4 1/2. Put a burning eyes smiley anywhere in the profile PM.
5. The Profiles section will go through changes as the story progresses past certain points, but I won't spoil any of that now. Suffice it to say that a lot of the information up is incomplete.
6. PM Profiles to me only, and Title them by what crystal they are the wielders of.
7. It is alright for everyone to have their crystals already, but keep in mind that key pieces in the story are also fragments of the Fate Crystal, so if you want one of your characters to have one, I'll go into more depth with you about it over PM.
8. Be as literate as possible. The more you all give me, the more I can give back and vice-versa.
9. Always keep up with the RP, and let me know if you will be gone for a while. I may take a character's control to keep the story going if I have to.
10. Always follow the Gaia ToS and the Guild's rules.
11. Keep it PG-13 People! A little blood and descriptiveness is okay in terms of violence, but no going overboard, and definitely don't go more than mild in terms of clothing or romantic actions.  

[Draconia Crystalis]

Now Open for Business

Descriptions of the Races and the nations they belong to are added. Make sure to read up and familiarize yourself.

RP now starting!  

[Draconia Crystalis]

Giovanni Dragoni, the human adopted by the Nero Angeal. A shadow of his former self. A husk with a blank in his memory and a shattered soul. He is all of these things. He is a coward.

The young man, timid as a mouse, walked through the grasslands, deep in the dark of night, another figure trotting beside him. He looked to his companion every few seconds, his dead-gray eyes darting everywhere for fear of a monster attack. Frequently gusts of wind would blow his light brown hair into his eyes, causing him to brush it aside with a brush of his sleeve. They were nearing the Land of Wind, known as Tylem, and the area was well known for a plentiful amount of powerful avian monsters strong enough to withstand the frequent gales of wind. And they could be anywhere, hiding among the dark branches of the occasional trees scattered around, or deep inside the harsh brush and tall grass, waiting to leap out at any moment. He was afraid, but as long as he had his companion with him, his brother, Rodrigo Dragoni, he felt just a bit braver.

Soon, as they continued walking forward, traveling cloaks flapping feverently in the wind, he began to lose focus on his surroundings and fall into a deep, dark hole in his heart. All of his family, except for his brother, was gone, taken away in a single night. And the worst thing was that he wasn't even strong enough to hold onto the memory of the incident, having repressed it deep down inside of himself. He knows its there, because of the gap in his past, but he cannot grasp what it is. Had he really been as strong and fearless as he remembered before the assassination? or had this always been how he was, shamefully weak and meager, a cowardly wimp, and he only put on a tough front? He didn't even know who he was anymore. He only knew that he wanted to find out the truth of the incident, but he wasn't brave enough to do it himself, so he followed his brother like a helpless puppy, hoping to discover the old him someday.

It had been fully two years since they had left their homeland in search of the answers, and yet they were no closer to them then when they had begun. Still, they could not stop. They had no one and nowhere to go back to anyway, at least for Giovanni, this was his whole purpose for living, to get the truth.

"Will we make it to the first village in time, Rigo?" he asked his brother shakily, returning his attention for watching for monsters. "I really don't want to have to set up camp over-night again. I was almost killed the last time a monster attacked us."  

[MadameDPomp]

Water. It was everywhere and Jolyre was about sick of it. Seas teeming with Sahagin life; even the land about them was marshy and swampy. It was far too...wet...for Jolyre to land and rest there.

Iriem...ugh

Jolyre was headed for Tylem anyway, and rest was for the weary. She was far from weary, despite the ache in her muscles. She was angry.

Alexei Aegis was murdered and stolen from his daughter at 17, the very night she was granted the Crystal of Light, the night where she was risen up to glory for the Glorion Crystalis. I was so mad at him that night...

Lady Jolyre Aegis had vowed bloody vengeance for her father's murder.

Just on the horizon she could see the deep crevices and canyons that made up the nation of Tylem. Uncivilized rogues with no real structured government, according to her school, the strict teachings of the Glorion Crystalis.

Some people she knew were envious of the free and adventurous lives of the Tylem citizens. It had a rogue-like charm, she supposed, but she preferred the structure in Lamina. Unexpected things were taken care of swiftly and efficiently, not embraced.

Terminus, she'd never been to. Her father, though...her father had been murdered in Terminus. She had deduced this much. Slayed, along with several others of some posh family. Dragonus, was it? Dragina? No. Her eyes narrowed at the thought. Dragoni... She'd followed hundreds of false leads on this name until finally she got a report of it heading into Tylem. She left as soon as the words were out of the messenger's mouth.

But that was all she had to work with. A fancy surname, the location of where it went down, possibly where the culprit was headed, all put together with some shaky guesswork. All she had to do was search a whole nation. A whole...windy...nation.

She sighed and gazed down at seas and lands below her. She could see specks of the Sahaugin swimming, walking, carrying on life in general. Jolyre didn't mind the Sahaugin as many did. They were creatures of Seilleanna just like herself. She respected their reverence for their sea home and keeping it pure, trying to protect it from the pollution of Metrino.

She gave her strong wings another flap. They weren't, to her frustration, complete yet. About half light energy, half-legit wings, Jolyre wasn't quite at the level of strength and maturity to have her full-wings.
"Come again...the sea's not so bad..." Jolyre muttered, thinking of the ridiculous winds she would soon have to face. Wings were useless in Tylem.

Slowly, she began to descend. She was on the border of Tylem and Iriem. It was from here she would walk, not wanting to get caught in some freak storm conjured by the closeness of the two lands.  

[Scythe de Zaran]

Giovanni Dragoni's brother looked at him with a confident and warming smile, his facial expression not the least bit hidden even though the wind was literally whipping his dark hair around. "Yes, we will, Gio. It's not too far off now," he said reassuringly. He patted his younger brother on the back. "There's nothing to be afraid of. I'm sure the monster was actually scared of you too, so it attacked. Think of it that way. It's just like you... except you can be more confident."

Rodrigo Dragoni, the bearer of the Crystal of Darkness, was Giovanni's only family, and Giovanni was Rigo's only family as well. It didn't matter that the two of them were of different races; Rigo was a Nero Angeal, and Gio was a human. They were as close as siblings could get.

Since that event two years ago, Giovanni had changed dramatically, and Rodrigo was constantly trying to coax him out of that shell for Gio's own sake, and trying to get his younger brother back to his old self through words, swordsplay exercises, and anything else he could think of. It made Rigo sad that Gio had regressed to this state, but he understood the trauma of the event more than he wanted to. Rigo himself had taken some time to get over it, but because of his personality, training, and responsibility, he hadn't let it shown too much in front of Gio. He had to be strong for Gio, strong for his people, and strong for himself. And there were questions to be answered. Some overlapped with Gio's thoughts. Others were completely about a different matter in that event.

Because the wind was an annoyance when it came to wings, Rodrigo did not have his wings out. As Gio had noticed, that left them open to attack from the avians who could fly in the wind. The wind would only become more of a hindrance once they entered Tylem. It wasn't called the Land of Wind for no reason. Rigo wouldn't be using his wings much at all in the next few days or however long the travel took through Tylem if they found any hints. However, Rigo had an advantage. While those avian creatures could hide, it made it incredibly more convenient that they would hide in the darkness. Rigo had control over darkness, and that was very fortunate. If he hadn't, it would have made travel just a bit more difficult because he would have had to rely only on his fighting prowess, which was not good if they got swarmed.  

[Draconia Crystalis]

Gio turned his head to his older brother as he did what he always did, tried to encourage him and coax his old courage and personality out. But as always, his attempts met with no success. Gio blushed somewhat, embarrassed that his brother went to such lengths to help him, and yet he could never find what made him how he had been. "Y-yeah, I guess so," he said under his breath, and after a few long seconds he whispered, "I'm sorry."

A stronger gust of wind blew into his chest, making him hunch over to keep it from slowing him down. It had been like this since they entered the borders of Tylem. Wind was at times their worst enemy here, pushing them back to prevent their advance, and at other times a kind and helping hand, guiding them forward with more speed and brevity. The locals even had a complete understanding of the air-currents, allowing them to plan journeys so that the wind would always be at their backs.

Not much longer into their journey, they came out of grassland and gave way to barren, rocky plains, and in the distance they could see that barren flatland start cracking and breaking into wide trenches, then from trenches into ravines, and from ravines into a whole canyon system. Windmills and other structures rose out of the crags in the earth's surface, signs of the first village, a human village. It had been when he was sixteen when he had seen another human for the first time, after his journey with his brother began, and it had been another year since the last time. It had been so strange seeing his own kind when all he had known were the Nero Angeal, but it also cheered him up a bit. As much as he tried, there was just a tiny bit of him that his brother could never relate to, and while he had yet to know anyone of his race on a personal level to relate to, he felt a bit calmer among people like him.

He sighed as another gust blew at his traveling cloak, making it flare up and tug him back a bit. The wind in this nation was unreal, and it only got worse the closer it got to Taimat's Crossing. The immense phenomenon was caused by the ravines guiding wind along their winding paths, guiding the stray wisps wind from all areas of the nation together in the very epicenter of the canyon valley, creating an immense and endless spiral of wind. Gio had heard many a tale and rumor about the Crossing, but never had the nerve to go there on their journey, even as a detour, fearing getting swept up and lost forever in the tempestuous winds.  

[MadameDPomp]

"Okay. I was kidding. Give me the water back!" Jolyre yelled angrily, her voice lost among the roar of the winds whipping around her. The endless seas of Iriem were paradise in comparison with these ungodly hurricane-force winds . Her blond hair blew into her face constantly and the wind would take her cloak and wave it all around.
"Tylem." she grunted. "The world's biggest nuisance of a nation."
It was ridiculous to even try and step. Take a step, get blown back seven. Jolyre acknowledged she was exaggerating. But it was still a pain to try and fight these winds. She stomped her foot and screamed at the wind in anger. She was sure no had heard her, however. How could they?
Jolyre stopped and looked around is dismay. Flat land. Flat treeless, scrub less land. What kind of horrid place was this!? She was on a plain; no shelter in sight. The no-where land between Tylem and Iriem.
Cursing the nations for their bad weather and landing locales, herself for her prideful lack of a map, and the world for existing, Jolyre spotted a little thicket of bushes. They seemed nice, fairly big, as bushes go. If nothing else was inhabiting them...
Maybe...I could...
No.
She dismissed the thought. Jolyre Aegis didn't sleep in bushes. When she could help it, and Jolyre just felt like she could help. There had to be something she could reach before nightfall. Which was soon. So soon. Jolyre couldn't afford to be stuck in the darkness. Crystal of Light or no, it still weakened her crystal abilities and scared her to death. A scowl painted its way across her soft, Angeal features and Jolyre trudged on, alone, miserable, and soon to be caught in windstorm and the darkness.