The Fall that Started it All

[John Strike]

Strike was with his own hand picked squad of powerful augmented warriors in an outpost when the castle fell. As the young mage woman had said. He casually put his drink down and tapped on his PT to open communications with his specified teams.

"Attack."

[Alex Malice]

Malice was with a bunch of carpenters putting up frame boards to rebuild the west wing of his manor. Holding a huge structure board up as he sat on the roof waiting for one of his guys to bring the nails, when the ground shook, and the balancing act of all the framework fell apart. The entire west wing's frame's had been set in place and was now crumbling back to a heap of lumber as if they hadn't even been working on this all day. He watched with a look of shock and dismay, mouth hanging open as he could only croak out small sounds of disbelief.

[Cillian McWolfe]

Ardan looked on in horror as the island fell from the sky. He'd never seen anything like it, but it was obvious that it was trouble. Nothing good could come of it. He put on his best smile as grabbed Tina by the shoulder and turning her to face him rather than the death ball that was plummeting to the Earth.

"That is a distraction from what we were working on. Precision and fluidity. All of our movements should be as accurate as Link's arrows."

He gave Link a look as he silently hoped the boy would play along. For Tina's sake. He didn't want her to have nightmares.

[Ben]

Ben took one look at the thing falling from the sky and did what any self-respecting man would do. He ran back into his hovel and hid under his filth mound.

[Angelonia Kaizer]

Angelonia watched the event on a projected screen at her desk in her office in her home. She sipped tea and couldn't bare to bring herself to watch the impact, but felt the shock wave moments later.

"Lady Angelonia, Strike has sent an invasion force. We can recognize their Command Captain and many black ops squads already in Battle Form."

Angelonia frowned and turned off the communications device as well as the screen. She didn't want to know.

"Allison Kazim... Have you seen the faces of the survivors of that territory? Could you tell them, it was worth it? Hold strong to your convictions... The world will need that strength."

[Sage Sudeki]

Spike was inspecting his pale skin when he felt the ground shake... He looked around expecting Mathew or his house to pop up, or some surprise attack cause fuck him apparently. When nothing came he sighed and went about his business. That was a strange tremor though.

[Arthur Woodson]

Arthur's heart clenched in distress as he watched the castle fall from the heavens, wincing when it impacted the ground, the dust cloud being visible even across the vast distance that he was from the site of impact. Despite the impassiveness on his wooden mask fear and worry contorted the face behind the mask as he ruffled through his pockets, pulling out a crystal and holding it up to the sun, looking deep into what visions the Crystal would show him of the future after that impact.

Of how many survived and what would happen next...

[Rhona Hall]

She was out in the training field when the world shook and she would see it as clear as day! She was shaken to the ground not taking her eyes off the spectacle and would be something for the history books indeed

Words eluded her and she felt her heart quake. Was it excitement or fear? She wasn't sure but with the explosion and the collision, it carried a wind of the future that she would make a bet on the inevitability of absolute chaos.

[Abram Dabra]

Abram was blissfully unaware of everything, even the tremor didn't reach him on the flying island he called home. He continued working on his golem in blissful ignorance.

[Ashe]

Vielle was more focused on her ability to use mana than anything else. Squatting in what used to be the kitchen of hte old manor, she focused on the apple she was trying to double in size to help her empty stomach feel fuller when a streak of fire light up the sky outside her window.

She didn't worry about it. It was probably a battle mage or elementalist. Besides, she now had a bunch of seeds bursting out of the apple, sending bits and pieces and sticking to the floor as well as her face.

"Oh no," she groaned. "Not again." It would take forever for the merchant to let his guard down for another shot at one.

[Caelan Xander]

Cael was at Cabal when it happened, and he didn't know what to do or say. He'd never seen something like this happen, and for the first time in a very long time, Cael remembered what it was to feel small and helpless. Something like that, how could someone do that? How could one even stop something like that?

He didn't want to think about how many people would be hurt from it either. It was enough to make his stomach churn with bile.

[Mathew Amtrum]

Mathew watched as the castle streaked through the sky before impacting the ground. He felt it stronger than most as it tore into his domain. Closing his eyes he wished he was back home on his throne where he could focus in on what was about to happen. Because this could only signal a single thing.

"Congratulations dumbasses. You're all dead. If an enemy launched a flashy attack like that and you all stood there gawking then it's game over. Observe but react. You think you've lived war so far? That was a sign that we are about to fire things up for real. So get your asses in gear!"

He'd send a wave of spikes at the soldiers to let them deal with. They didn't have time to be lax. Things were going to pick up and move fast.

[Evelyn Amtrum]

Eve was hanging out on the roof when the meteor fell. Stretched out on her back, she had a clear view of what was going on as her qi beast sprawled out half on top of her.

"The hell is that?" She frowned and sat up, fingers skimming through the creature's fur. Whatever it was, it woudln't be good.

[Preston Salabim]

Preston watched from the window of his study as the Castle fell from the heavens to the ground below. The dust cloud was immense, and the loss of life could only be astronomical. He was grateful that it was in a rival nations home that the Castle fell, but it was a grim reminder of what would happen if he fell and the gem in his chest was destroyed.

He tried to look at it coldly, focusing on the facts of the matter. But the more he tried to stay detached the more intrusive thoughts would creep in. Questions over how many children were killed. What would happen if the Conqueror and those within the castle survived? The fall of the Castle was a potent symbol, but it could end up being a futile one, and a pointless waste of life. Those thoughts spiraled around in his head rapidly as he slowly and weakly stood up. A hand moving to his aching heart. Though for once it wasn't his condition that was giving him problems, but rather his humanity in general. As if in a daze he stumbled across his study to the bar that remained untouched with the exception of entertaining dignitaries.

And for the first time, Preston would pour himself a drink.

[Rozalin Kendal]

They'd been warned it would happen, sooner or later. Rozalin looked out from the window of the guest home she stayed in, watching with a distant sensation of a knot in her stomach as the dust clouds rose so high they could see it from across the country. There was no telling how many lives had been lost or what the true toll would be.  It reminded her too much of ships caught in a storm, cannon fire and smoke rising from the waters and the screams of sailors.

She was glad it wasn't here, but it did make her shudder as she looked out to the world beyond this floating island whose people took pride in. One day, it could be them.

She wondered if she'd be on it when - if - it happened. But for now, there was one thing she could be certain of as she opened the flask of whiskey and let it burn down her throat, drinking until she pulled away gasping for air.

Fuck class and social standing. This was not a time to drink alone.