(S2) EVENT FIELD: The Place Where They Slumber

[Hope]

Event Field:

A flat plain stretching endlessly. It seems to be an ancient ruin of some sort with the ground
composed of stone and dirt. All around are binding chains, smoke, and in the distance, flying columns and pieces
of machinery. The leaders of the sealed clans lay to rest here, waiting for the chosen champions to awaken them
from their sleep. Another figure lays in wait, in the form of a woman with light-violet hair and a glowing complexion.
The fate of Cray lies in the balance through the coming battles.

Rules:

Only the Champions are allowed to exist within the field. Two losses, and the fighter will no longer be allowed to exist within this space. In Neu's case, she has one chance per clan. Defeat all Five, and she will be defeated as well.

Tsubasa: 1
Cero: 0 (Locked)
Jellal: 0 (Locked)
Satoshi: 0 (Locked)
Seifer: 0 (Locked)
Neu: 0

[Cipher Izanagi]

Stepping through the door, Seifer had shut his eyes tightly, biting his lip. Somewhere he expected some kind of gut wrenching fall but no. Almost as soon as his feet passed through the door, they were on solid ground. Dirt, stones and ruins lay everywhere. Taking a full look around, Seifer took in the sight. It was like something out of a sci-fi anime or movie. As his vision panned around, the fear started to come back, and yet... He felt stronger for it. Continuing to pan around however, his vision soon rested on the figure, his eyes narrowing. His mind told himself to wait on the other Champions and yet... His heart, the rest of his body refused, his feet taking the path before him toward the figure, his right hand clutching the deck he had tightly.

[Hope]

Neu sat on top of a floating platform in the distance, looking across the infinite empty space.

"I guess I'm ready now... let's see what happens from here on." She stood up and turned around, feeling a pain in her chest as well, was it anxiousness? Fear?... This was no time to mess around anymore, she had to come at them with all she had in order to see what kind of leaders the world has been left to. She turned to see the first champion entering, a familiar face from a few days back. On their last fight, she didn't punch much of an effort. More or less, she was actually feeling a little sick then, but now it was a completely different story. She was feeling better than ever.

"Seifer!" She called out to him. In order to see the world's Vanguard, she would have to fight them all. Her demeanor was different from the usual. No wasting time, it was time to open this stage with the first fight.

[Cipher Izanagi]

Stopping about three yards away, Seifer held up his deck, the back of the cards facing his opponent. His eyes blazed with the strength and determination of the Kagero clan he'd lost. He was here to win it and all the others back. "I'm going to be your first opponent! I'm going to fight and win back the clans so wrongfully stolen from the fighters who made precious memories!" he called back. Gritting his teeth and lowering his hand, he took another half step forward. "Show me the real you! The real power you possess! Show me your Vanguard!" he shouted readying his deck for the fights before him. He was more determined now than ever. There was no going back.

[Hope]

No going back indeed, Neu had come this far, and this place was where all her answers were to be found. Regardless of how much time she spent trying to achieve a new kind of knowledge within the Rift space, she was never able to replicate the ideals which each individual fighter held, their Vanguard. It was something that she learned from them all during her time fighting them. Them as in, Neo, Tsubasa, Yukino, Satoshi, Seifer, Cero, and everyone else. To fight seriously, and live in the moment, but to still enjoy every single bit of it. She tried to intimidate him, to test his way of Vanguard under the extreme circumstances, she fought mercilessly, leaving no easy route to fight out of. Even so, he was still able to answer the question.

"What is your Vanguard?"

A rather selfish answer, to protect what is important to one's self. Yet at the same time, she was able to see the necessity that it held within the world. The sad part is that Seifer didn't back down after the first game when he could have. His own Vanguard kept him from backing down, he wanted to take and protect what was precious to him with his own hands.

During their conversation, Neu found herself deeply entranced by the new knowledge that he provided her, it had captured her heart. How she had been playing had opened her up to this, the act of accepting other's words. Sadly, she had yet to waver from what her path was. With a heavy heart, she closed her eyes, filled with regret. She had to be selfish here. She had to take this power and use it to accomplish her ideal, her own Vanguard.

She pointed at Leopald.

"Lock"

He was no longer allowed to exist within this space.
Seifer: 0/2

[Cipher Izanagi]

At the end of the fights, Seifer had accepted his loss with dignity, no matter how much it stung. Even losing to his avatar of flames. That stung worse than anyone could imagine. He lost outright, struggling to find a footing against Neu. However at the end of it all, he answered Neu's question with unwavering resolve and faith in his own words, and the ones that would come after him. Smiling with a sad soft look as his current Vanguard was locked away from him he gave a soft sigh. Opening his eyes just long enough to look at Neu, he kept the smile. "I'll trust those after me. And to you to. You may be the enemy now but..." before he could finish he just shut his eyes, fading away from the space in a pale light.

[Kisaragi Zane]

After watching Neu defeat Seifer, Jellal's hand started to tremble. Excitement? Fear? He wasn't sure, but he knew that Neu would be even more difficult to face than when they fought before. His shoulders stiffened and he was breathing heavier, acknowledging that there was a possibility of failure.

"I could back out now... but..." he thought before being signaled to take out his deck from his back pocket. He felt Maelstrom's presence embracing his chosen vanguard along with wind circling around him, restoring his sense of clarity. It felt as though: Maelstrom was letting Jellal know that he had nothing to fear. "No matter what..." Jellal said "I can't give into despair, not this time, not ever."

He approached Neu without uttering a single word after, laying his armada out on the table as the wind picked up: signaling that he was ready.

[Hope]

May as well, that was her main signal as well. No words.

"It's time to fight."

Jellal had the heal triggers come for him whenever necessary, his determination was unwavering. Even on the sixth damage, it came to his aid. Neu wondered how this was so, his avatar and a crossride appeared before her. Most things that were unexpected happened, things that could not be foreseen. All things were calculated until Glory Maelstrom arrived on the field along with a perfect formation. Every turn was an endless wave of attacks, eventually Neu's Vanguard was worn down, she had suffered her first defeat.

"Man..."

She looked down at the cards. All kinds of grief were in her heart at the moment. A feeling of failure, she was about lose the Royal Paladin clan. They no longer had the ability to exist within the space. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes as they faded away.

Neu: 4/5

[Beryl]

With Jellal's success and Seifer's failure, it was up to the remaining champions to push Neu more into a corner. Irminsul decided it was their turn to step up to the plate. Waving a hand, they indicated to Neu that they were next to make an attempt.

It was time for that desired strength to pull through.

[Kisaragi Zane]

Both fighters met each other on the battlefield in opposition. Both were silent, and focused everything solely on this fight: both with many things on the line. They stood up their vanguards. Jellal had his Cadet Erik facing against Neu's Wingal Brave: of Royal Paladin. Neu started off with an early lead against Jellal's Dorothea and Basil, although Jellal managed to score 2 early heal triggers back to back to keep himself at 2 damage. Jellal's signature card: Blue Storm Dragon Maelstrom was up against Majesty Lord Blaster, a unit he could never forget. By the legendary paladin side stood before another unit that Jellal knew all too well: Blaster Dark. Neu continued to pressure Jellal and surviving each wave of attacks, even stopping Maelstrom's devastating Limit Break.

Jellal remained under control but even he knew that the longer this fight plays out, the harder it'll be for him to survive. He started to give in, especially after seeing the holy dragon, Soul Saver Dragon, activate it's skill giving power across it's allies. With the vanguard attack pushing Jellal to five, and two more big attacks on his way, he had no choice but to take an attack. A sixth heal appeared, giving Jellal a chance of turning this fight around.

He stand and drew, calling upon the divine will of his dragon, Maelstrom met his wishes: crossriding himself into a dragon only known in myth as the conqueror of cray; Blue Storm Supreme Dragon, Glory Maelstrom. Activating his Ultimate Break, Neu couldn't guard with anything higher than a grade one, Jellal managed to score a heal and a critical trigger, turning the tables. Neu pressed on for one more turn but avoided giving Jellal the ultimate break that would've cancelled out the perfect guard she had obtained. Jellal's armada stood once more and delivered a swift finish. He was surprised that he was able to win, but he felt happy that he was able to fulfill his promise to restore the clans like he said he would.

"Thank you Maelstrom." A feeling that he never had, even with Shadow Paladin by his side. The feeling of gratitude for the units he could now call his own. Jellal proceeded to rest up while the next chosen fighters would proceed to take on Neu.

[Hope]

Next up was Satoshi, the one who's probably done the most to reach her human side. The one that was lost along with the fun in her childhood. He was at least, the one who took her on dates and had gotten close to her as a girl, rather than a fighting machine which she has always been treated. Neu was blind here, after losing the Royal Paladin, her heart began to pound quickly, she felt fear. The loss left her feeling vulnerable.

Sephirot pushed her to the edge, there games were close, one trigger difference. Healing on sixth damage, checking critical triggers in order to stop it. After his first defeat, Satoshi stood up again.

"Again."

She was beginning to feel tired, a sensation that she hasn't felt ever since her training session in the rift. Taking, deep breaths she began the next fight. Going all out took a lot out of her, and yet the games were still so very close. Yet, she was finding her answer, every passing turn, she was learning more and more. This was Satoshi's Vanguard, the one of Companionship, where Sephirot would never work alone, but in tandem with the rearguards, powering each and every one of them up as long as they had someone like them on the board.

In the end, Neu was victorious once more.

She pointed her fingers at Sephirot which laid on Satoshi's Vanguard Circle. She closed her eyes.

"Lock."

He was no longer allowed to exist within this space.
Satoshi: 0/2 (Locked)

[Beryl]

It was over in a moment, but it felt like forever.

Irminsul, the combined being of Satoshi and Sephirot's souls, pushed Neo Nectar to its limits, clashing against Neu's Shadow Paladins and Kagero harder than it ever had been before. Trigger after trigger, rearguard clash after rearguard clash...the games were truly close and something to be respected, no matter what the outcome. Truly, it was the best the farmboy himself had ever done in any game in his life.

But it wasn't enough. Each time, Neu managed to clutch out a victory on the back of double triggers, something that showed her resolve was stronger than perhaps Irminsul as a being had been anticipating. Even when a heal offered a chance to escape, they couldn't end the power at her disposal.

Satoshi felt Sephirot unravel himself from his soul, surrendering to his fate. Fading away as the girl placed her fingers on the Vanguard Circle which he lied, the guardian dragon gave a sad smile, waving to his champion. They had given it the best they could, and truly, this boy was destined for greatness no matter where his path lied. But no longer would it be with the head of Neo Nectar, nor the clan Neo Nectar itself. As he dematerialized, so did Satoshi's deck. The clan followed suit with its Vanguard, as per their way of life.

Satoshi felt his body give out as his Vanguard faded away. No, they were so close...this shouldn't have happened...it didn't have to be this way...

His body faded away from Cray to rematerialize in the real world.

[Hope]

This is all I am. I'm just a machine that plays Vanguard for the sake of everyone else. I may as well enjoy the best I can. Alone.... so alone... having fun is what made me feel human, its the only thing that kept me from feeling like I was just an instrument. A weapon that took advantage of those who were weak. At first for a better life, to help my mom and dad, and eventually for greed. Their daughter no longer existed, I was just a money making machine to them, the prodigal Vanguard superstar who kept them high up there. I got tired.... so tired... I quit... I left them to suffer... I ran away from all this, to purify the world of such unfortunate circumstances.... Mom and Dad... suffer without me... since you took away my humanity, blinded by your own greed. All I wanted was for you all to call me your daughter... I've been acting like you guys were still alive, making fun of my childish and unhealthy habits, remembering the great times we've had then it leads me to think... Truthfully, I am also sorry... I left and you guys had nowhere to turn to, fending off a world without your instrument of power... without me... In the end, I killed you both with my own hands.

She leaned on a broken pillar and looked up at the smog-filled air. Heavily breathing, gasping and holding onto her chest, fighting to herself steady. The memories that she had been suppressing returned to her. A stinging pain ran across her back and she nearly collapsed. A scar was there, a deep wound that she had gotten from her parent's reaction after the first time that she failed to win the national tournament, their ticket out of poverty. This entire time Neu had confused the two, a fear of failure, and a fear of getting physically and mentally beaten down. Then again, to her the two of her were the same thing. She opened her palm and a small bit of the rift's energy manifested on it. It entered her body, giving her strength and slowing down her heart rate.

"I have to keep going... Its not like I know how to do anything else..."

[Lance Korilum]

  After arriving in this...  Empty plain...  Cero watched the first three battles against Neu.  Jellal managed to win, however the weak were removed from the area...  Locked away by Neu's power.  This added threat only made Cero more excited to crush Neu at her full power....  But first he had to break through the clans she had sealed away.  If he managed to do this, he'd finally be at the top of the world, and finally have achieved that which he sought after.  He approached Neu to offer his challenge, only to notice her collapse to the ground.  Sighing, Cero offered her his hand. 

"I kept my promise.  Now you keep yours," was all Cero said.

[Hope]

She walked on, onwards to nowhere and everywhere. The space had begun to crash upon itself, her true power tearing down its very existence. The last fight pushed her to her absolute limit. She had only expected to tap into the powef once, but all three times?... It was unbelievable. Kagero and Shadow Paladin had disappesred from her, and she only had two chances left at this pojnt. She fulfilled her promise fo Cero, to go all out. Sadly, it didn't have much of a positive effect on her. Three down and two leff, she keep moving forward, because that was all she knew how to do. Cero's way of Vanguard had connected with her heart.

Neu 2/5
Cero 0/2