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G'raha Tia ([personal profile] crystalized_hope) wrote in [community profile] dreamcrystals2022-01-05 02:57 pm

【 Ⅲ 】𝐂𝐑𝐘𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐋 💎 Passive Dream

Sender: G'raha Tia
To: Everyone
Subject: Passive dream recording

[OOC:There are heavy Shadowbringers spoilers in this nightmare.]

For anybody who's seen G'raha's previous dream, the location may or may not seem familiar as the dream is broadcasted. Though the exact location hadn't been shown previously, that blinding bright light should be easy enough to catch as soon enough as the the vast night sky was swallowed whole by light once more.

With Vaulthry's defeat, and the last lightwarden in turn, that should have been enough to save Norvrant. Too bad things were never that simple. At the front of the pack was a sillhouette of a figure growing bright. All of the collective light from the defeated lightwarden had become too much for the Warrior of Light to handle. It threatened to push them over the edge as the light poured out of them. They were on verge of turning into the next lightwarden, more dangerous and powerful than any other thus far.

"The combined power of every lightwarden is too terrible a burdan for any one should to bear. And so I will relieve you of it," a familiar hooded man spoke out as he started to transfer the light to himself.

"Exarch?! What are you doing?!" a possibly familiar girl called out. Some people here may or may not already know this individual as Alisaie Leveilleur.

"I will channel this perfusion of power to the Crystal Tower and use it to travel to other worlds. As I have dreamed of doing ever since I first learned of their existence!" he stated, "Who would chose to remain here, in this dying realm, when they might go elsewhere and begin anew? Not I. And thus... thus did I use you!"

"No... No! I don't believe you! It doesn't make sense!" a girl with red hair cried out.

"Damn you! We won't let you do with them as you please!" Alisaie retorted.

"Do not interfere!" a tall Elezen yelled out in a pained expression, "Please! I beseech you all. Let him go!"

"You knew of this, Urianger," a Miqo'te woman said as she looked to the man who spoke out, "'Tis all a fiction. Such vaguely defined acts of teleportation stand no chance of success. The Exarch will never live to see another world--as he knows only too well."

The boy who looked similar to Alisaie spoke up finally, "Then... What does he mean to do?"

"He means to take the Light with him into the rift... where he will die. From the beginning, he intended to sacrifice himself to save our friend and Norvrant," the Miqo'te woman explained.

Turning his complete attention to the bright figure, "At journey's end, an opportunistic thief makes off with the hero's prize. A paltry way to end a chapter, I concede. Yet your tale will continue, and my role will scarcely be remembered."

With a short pause, "Worry not. Whatever should become of me, I will be happy and free, safe in the knowledge that I have played my part."

With enough force due to the gusts around them, the Exarch's hood flew back, revealing a familiar Miqo'te. His red hair looked slightly different and there is one detail that's is not present otherwise here. The one arm, neck area, and partially creeping on his cheek is what looks to be crystal.

For anyone who has seen G'raha thus far, he'll look a little different, but he is undoubtedly the same man who had proposed the aetheryte project here.

If there are any doubts, the Warrior calling out his name should clear all confusion. It was just a name, and yet he found such comfort in hearing it for the first time in hundreds of years.

"Thank you for fighting for this world. For believing. Fair you well, my friend--my inspiration," at this rate, his plan should be a success. That was until a gunshot rang out as he collapsed to the ground.

The man responsible made his presence known. "Only those who possess the Royal Eye of the Allagan Imperial line are capable of controlling the Crystal Tower. Such individuals do not exist in the First."

"Therefore, in all likelihood, the Exarch arrived here with the tower. This much I had surmised, yet I could not discern his grand scheme," approaching him, he continued, "To think he went through all this trouble for the sake of a single hero. It's almost admirable in its absurdity."

The Exarch, or rather G'raha Tia, tried to move, but found it difficult. The man looked to him struggling, "Alas, it is not your grand scheme that will succeed, but ours."

Turning his attention to the Warrior of Light, struggling to hold in all of the light. "What a disappointment you turned out to be. I placed my faith in you. Let myself believe that you could contain the Light. But look at you now, halfway to becoming the monster. You are unworthy of my patronage."

A gunshot couldn't be what held G'raha down, he refused. Struggling to push himself back on his knees at the very least, "You're wrong." He reached for his staff, using it to prop him up, "I won't allow it. I will not allow you... to point my friend like a weapon."

The man rose a brow in response, "Oh? And how exactly do you plan on stopping me? By all accounts, you don't have much time left and I don't intend on letting do your little parlor trick a second time."

Gesturing over to the Warrior of Light, spitting out more white liquid, "It's almost comical. You're playing a rather risky game of chicken, don't you think?"

G'raha gave him a glare as the man shrugged in response. "It seems like our time is up. Do seek me out later once you're able. Perhaps you will be able to complete your descent in privacy," he said as he nonchalantly waved them off, existing through a dark portal.

"N-No!" Turning to his friend in urgancy, "Please! You must hold it in for a little while longer. I-I'll save you. I'll save you all."

Panic spread through him as he tried once more to take the Light from the Warrior of Light, but to no avail. It was a nightmare. It was something that he had gone over in the back of his mind on a few occasions while trying to figure out plan. The Warrior of Light changed before their eyes, G'raha petrified as all of his fears bubbled to the surface.

"N-No...This... This cannot be happening...," taking a step back, the newly formed lightwarden snaped their gaze to him as he looked on in horror. He found it difficult to breath suddenly as he tried to remain calm. That was much easier said than done when all of your worst fears bubbled to the surface with all of his regrets.

"Exarch!" another man with a gunblade shouted out to snap him out of his thoughts. He charged forward to try to help, but the lightwarden easily flicked him away, sending him flying into a wall.

"Thancred! Are you okay?!" the red head called out as she rushed over to him.

It was no use, G'raha's brain was shutting down. He was going to save them... How could he fail something so important. Hands shaking, holding his staff towards his friend.

"I... I'm so sorry, my friend. I...," he found himself choking over words. That hesitation was enough for the lightwarden to grab him as his staff clambered to the ground once more, mouth open wide as if to eat him.

"I've failed you... I've failed everyone... Pray forgive me...," he muttered under his breath.

Just as he was about to be devoured, the dream ends there.
voidbug: <user name="rukafais" site="tumblr.com"> (Peeking)

Anon, still

[personal profile] voidbug 2022-01-08 03:08 am (UTC)(link)
[A whole other world plagued by light, yet this one did not seem to spread through dreams. How interesting.]

[And yet, it would seem a vessel was still used to contain it. And yet again it would fail. A chilling feeling. Nothing is meant to hold that much power, not forever... But then, that is why it was being transferred, was it not?]

[...Though somewhat another chilling feeling.]


The Infection?

[It wasn't exactly it, but close enough. That and they couldn't think of another word for it.]
voidbug: <user name="rukafais" site="tumblr.com"> (Huff)

[personal profile] voidbug 2022-01-10 11:40 am (UTC)(link)
Difficult to have balance if they are against each other.

[If there had been no need to trap that light in the first place though...]

Shadow hates light and light hates shadow.
voidbug: <user name="rukafais" site="tumblr.com"> (Peeking)

[personal profile] voidbug 2022-01-11 03:37 am (UTC)(link)
[Perhaps. Though maybe they never did consider one objectively being better than the other. Enemy or no. Even if one caused a plague, the other could likely do the same if it wanted.]

You sealed it away in a vessel too.
voidbug: <user name="clovergrass-wang" site="tumblr.com"> (Story Time)

[personal profile] voidbug 2022-01-13 11:36 am (UTC)(link)
A different plan?
voidbug: <user name="rukafais" site="tumblr.com"> (Huff)

[personal profile] voidbug 2022-01-17 03:46 am (UTC)(link)
[A very quiet moment, looking down at the page.]

Then it really is no different than before.
voidbug: <user name="rukafais" site="tumblr.com"> (Peeking)

[personal profile] voidbug 2022-01-19 11:02 am (UTC)(link)
Perhaps.

I have no way of knowing if my home is infected anymore, but I would like to hope so.
voidbug: (Wander)

[personal profile] voidbug 2022-01-22 02:34 pm (UTC)(link)
[It's very similar. Well, not really. But!!]

The wrath of a long lost higher being.

It spreads by dreams, hopeful ones. When infected you no longer have control of yourself.
voidbug: <user name="rukafais" site="tumblr.com"> (Huff)

[personal profile] voidbug 2022-01-28 05:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Possible to resist, but not for long.

Perhaps if you could never dream at all.


[...No mind to think. No will to break. Those were his words.]
voidbug: (Wander)

[personal profile] voidbug 2022-02-09 09:49 pm (UTC)(link)
[There was a debate on how they should say for awhile, so they just stared at the page.]

I was considered worthy enough.

To seek the heart of the infection, to put an end to it.