The Unveiling of a Beast [{Invite}]

[High's .Valentine.]

Below the world of Radiant Garden, in the dungeons of its regal castle, too far from the core of the planet to feel the warmth of its broken heart and magma, too far from the surface for the sunlight and cool breeze to breathe to it life, a man sleeps in limbo. His world was in between. His mind, however, was a constant struggle. The pleasant times long gone, the redemption was slow for the man, stuck in his mental cesspool of frozen time and claustrophobic hatred. There was nothing for him except the end of the time, though it came and went without his knowing. Perhaps, he wasn’t even going to experience the thrill, fear, and liberation of Armageddon. Nevertheless, he sleeps there, passively waiting for the day he dies. Ironically in a coffin, as if the mere idea of being locked in a dead man’s bed would speed up the process.

His name was Vincent Valentine. A coward, a demon, a simple man who had done a big enough wrong that the world crashes down around him in a single moment. Like Sisyphus who so valiantly pushes the boulder up the mountain of the Underworld only to watch it roll back down the hill every time, Vincent Valentine repents his sins by relieving his past in dreams, believing it would bring him closer to redemption each time. Then the boulder rolls, urges of utter fury and helplessness, as the boulder he had so carefully pushed and shoved and labored over disappears into the horizon. He knows though, that it awaits him. Down the hill, towards the end of the road, that blasted piece of rock waits. Then he starts over. His dream repeats.

It was a never ending cycle. A cycle in which he loses some morsel of sanity each time he touched on the wrong delicate subject. Yes, Vincent Valentine is still losing his mind, and will be forever losing his mind. The cycle would have gone on forever and ever.

Until one day…

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[yami]

"In the Field..."

Although the protocols were more relaxed, guided by common sense and the need for less paperwork; The Organization was beginning to feel a lot like home. This lost soul needed this stability in these uncertain times. He was a man on a mission, a mission to connect the dots of his broken memories. The initial "help" the Organization had provided him was substantial in regaining his memories. Yet so many broken pieces were simply unearthed, instead of solved. Thus he needed to do more research. He needed to know about Cloud, the blonde's rival, and details of their home world. Perhaps then, he'd be able to piece together information on his own world.

This of course was just the primary goal. The secondary goal was to learn more about Organization XIII. What were their origins and what were their true intentions. Simply being an ally to them, he was not privy to such important details. He simply went about missions that his superiors (Xaldin in particular) gave him. Today was a stealth mission. He was sent to Radiant Garden to gather new information. He was told that this world had succumbed to darkness until it's revival.

"Hmm, a world that has been through the depths of darkness and has returned anew. Could secrets about returning to light be contained here?" the agent mused to himself as he kept to the shadows. Previously, he had been on a mission to investigate the people behind this world. They had formed a committee of sorts, an organization of their own. Radiant Garden Restoration Committee, to be precise. He had met some interesting foreigners last time, to which he used them to cause commotion. He'd also met him, a young man whom had the eyes of...his killer. Whether he "owed" something to him or not, he too would receive his own punishment if he was linked to the agent's killer.

For just as there were unearthed secrets in this world, containing more than meets the eye, so too was there secrets locked away within this man's heart.

His name was Mitchell Gavin, as he had yet to become a member of the ranks, his former name was still the one he went by. In previous missions, he had taken note of a Bastion. Situated at the core of this town, it was high time that he investigate it further. What depths would this place have for him? Dawning the black cloak of the Organization, his hood firmly overhead, he re-emerged within the walls of the Bastion.

He kept close to the walls, each corner could provide a threat. At any moment he'd need to use the Dark Corridor, to flee pursuit and to access areas anew. The winding pathways to the bastion were far too many. Still, as his body was trained to; he made sure to memorize each twist and turn thus far. Able to retrace his steps if need be. Just what was Mr. Gavin to discover upon this fateful day...?

[High's .Valentine.]

From deep underneath, brought to the surface by a system of walls that echoed and amplified even the least threatening sounds came a great moan. As if the castle had decided to shudder, but no movement of the walls and staircases were visible. Just a great trembling groan of a being wrought by nightmare. It wasn’t loud enough to be heard from the very top of the Bastion, but for those within the first floors of the castle, this overwhelming sound from the very pits of hell was enough to send even the bravest running.

Perhaps that is the purpose of the sound. It came in staccatos, rising and falling with large unsettling breaks in between. At one point, it rose to resemble something of a throat ripping scream.

If one were to be brave enough at that point to follow the source of the ghostly wails, they would be lead down into the dungeons, where it was pitch black. No light dared penetrate the walls of the underground. Rattling sounds could be heard that had been absent previously, keeping the cacophony constant.

Then suddenly, all was silent. The castle seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, released from the temperament of the demon that lives underneath.

[Too short...but Vincent's inside a coffin can be repeated only so much before it gets tiring. D8]

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[angelous]

Taking the time to reserve this post for my FF8 charrie Irvine!