Scenario:Shiva - Light of Destruction
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Light of Destruction
(Captain) and the others explain that they came to help the villagers, but Shiva responds that those who have already fallen ill can't be saved. (Captain), however, insists on saving the boy, after which Shiva assumes a battle stance and demands to see strength worthy of altering fate.
(Captain) states that the crew came to this village to save the boy from the dream.
Shiva: The dream...
Lyria: It seemed like he was begging us for help.
Lyria: We have to find a way to do something...
Shiva: You have traveled a great distance to this land for something so fleeting as a dream...
Lyria: It's just that...
Shiva: Your senses are indeed sharp.
Vyrn: So you mean—
Shiva: Yes. He is here. Many children of man are suffering from disease.
Shiva: What then are you able to do?
Lyria: Huh?
Shiva: This yoke of pestilence weighs heavy on this land, and the great tree at the village's center has become a nest of deadly spores.
Shiva: Their poison has tainted every corner of the village, and any living being who enters is sure to be consumed by plague.
Lyria: But... How can we help...
Shiva: The spores of decay have already made their way into the brains of the children of this land.
Shiva: There can be no recovery for them.
Lyria: ...!
Vyrn: Yeah, well then... what are you doing here?
Vyrn: You mean you didn't come to save anyone?
Shiva: One thing alone can save those people:
Shiva: To be burned through by apocalyptic fire.
Vyrn: Wha—
Lyria: That's—
Shiva: The spores borne of this land have already infected neighboring villages.
Shiva: This village must be destroyed lest all the sky be filled with deadly spores.
Lyria: But... We can't allow that!
Vyrn: That's right! How is that supposed to save anyone!
Shiva: When they shed their current incarnations, their souls will be born again.
Shiva: They will not suffer needlessly.
Vyrn: Maybe, but still...
Shiva: Do you wish to draw out the pain of those halfdead unfortunates, forcing them to abide in a hell on earth?
Lyria: ...
Shiva: The time has come for this land's children of men to let go of their living incarnations.
Shiva: I manifested in this land in response to the pleas of the village denizens.
Shiva: I shall break to pieces the unfortunate fate of the children of man, whereupon a new destiny will be born to them. That is the mission I have been given.
Shiva: Your interference will therefore be futile.
The decay of the village has yet to stop. All living creatures within the dying settlement can do no more than await their annihilation.
The village is past salvation, and (Captain) can only clench both fists in frustration.
Vyrn: (Captain)... Are you okay?
Village Boy: Please... Sky... rers...
Village Boy: You gotta... help... us...
Lyria: (Captain)?
The following moment, (Captain) chants a spell of protection and runs into the shroud of putrid air.
Lyria: Eek! What are you doing, (Captain)!
Vyrn: Hey, (Captain)! Cut it out!
But in that instant, a wave of apocalyptic fire obstructs (Captain)'s path.
Shiva: You underwit.
Nagaraja: Squeak, squeak...
(Captain) does not shrink when confronted with the flames; the desire to save those suffering is clearly visible in the captain's eyes.
Shiva: ...
Shiva: It would seem that to be foolishly rocked by fleeting passions is the portion of man...
Shiva: Singularity... You, child of man, are the factor that controls the skies' trajectory.
Shiva: If you wish to alter the fate of this village, show me that you have such power.
Shiva assumes a battle stance.
Vyrn: Huh! Uh-oh, (Captain), get ready!
Lyria: We'll do this!
Shiva: The weak are forbidden to advance any further.
Nagaraja: Hisss!
Light of Destruction: Scene 2
After the battle, Shiva asks what the crew stand to gain by wagering their lives, and Lyria answers that they can't abandon people who are savable. As if rewarding the party for the reply, Shiva gives them the protective power of apocalyptic fire. The party members then step into the village filled with putrid air.
Shiva: ...
Shiva: Your wish to save that child is truly great.
Shiva: What do you stand to gain for wagering your life?
Lyria: It's not about that... There are people right before our eyes who we might be able to help.
Lyria: We can't just abandon them!
Shiva: ...
Vyrn: Maybe if you're alone, you can't do anything. But we're not—we've got friends!
Vyrn: Stuff that's impossible by yourself is a piece of cake when everyone joins together!
Shiva: What frivolity...
Vyrn: The villagers are still alive, aren't they?
Lyria: Then there has to be some way to help them!
Shiva: ...
At that moment, Shiva's forehead begins to glow faintly.
Shiva: You are entertaining.
Shiva holds out a palm and sends a wave of flame crashing over the party.
Lyria: Eek!
Vyrn: Whoa, what's happening!
Lyria: W-what! It isn't hot!
Vyrn: What's going on here!
Shiva: I shall grant to you the protection of my apocalyptic fire.
Shiva: Move no more than you must. And take care not to inhale the deadly spores.
Shiva: Burn into your eyes all that you are about to see and hear.
Following behind Shiva, the party sets foot into the village shrouded with putrid air.
Light of Destruction: Scene 3
Wrapped in Shiva's protective fire, (Captain)'s crew enters the village and finds the boy from the dream. (Captain) senses a kindred spirit when the boy says he wants the crew to pass on a message to his skyfarer father. As if set off by (Captain)'s wish to assist the boy, Shiva's third eye begins shining, and the surroundings are filled with blinding light.
Clad in Shiva's flames, the party steps forth into the town.
The spectacle there is more grim than any of the members had imagined.
Villager 1: Aah... Moaaaan...
Villager 2: Wheeze... wheeze...
Villager 3: ...
Lyria: ...!
Under the putrid air the people lie scattered across the ground.
Sores mark their skin, their bodies are decaying, and not one of them seems able to move at will.
Villager 1: This pain... It's too much...
Villager 2: Please... Just end it...
Villager 3: Dear gods...
The plague-stricken villagers no longer hope to be rescued, only to have a peaceful death that releases them from suffering.
Vyrn: ...!
This shocks (Captain) and the others.
???: Sky... f-farers?
The captain looks up toward the familiar voice and sees among them the boy in the dream.
Village Boy: My... prayers... reached you....
The boy runs toward (Captain) and the others.
Lyria: You don't need to stand up! Don't push yourself too hard!
Village Boy: I wanted... to meet you... skyfarers...
Vyrn: You wanted to meet skyfarers? What do you mean!
Village Boy: My papa was... a skyfarer and... he went to an island far away... That's the last I saw him...
Village Boy: But if I meet some skyfarers... I can see my papa... The sky's all connected...
Lyria: ...
Village Boy: I can't meet Papa now... But tell him...
Village Boy: Sorry I wasn't... at home...
Village Boy: Good luck... your journey in... sky...
Lyria: ...
As the boy's consciousness fades, the look on his face becomes blank, and he struggles to cobble together words.
Listening to him speak, (Captain) can't help but identify with the story of the boy's early childhood.
(Captain) grabs his hand and says a prayer, struggling to control the sorrow and the tears.
Village Boy: Huh?
"If there are gods in this world—if we have the power to alter our own fates—may this wish be granted," wishes the captain.
A desire to help the boy races through (Captain).
Lyria: Please! Please save him!
Vyrn: Destiny schmestiny! If you give up, that's it!
Choose: I'll show him your fate is to live!
Shiva: ...
(Captain)'s resolute prayer gives birth to a miracle.
Shiva: ...
That moment, light envelops the surroundings.
Light of Destruction: Scene 4
The light from Shiva's third eye wipes the illness from the village and saves the lives of those within. Shiva tells the crew that this was possible because of the forceful prayers of (Captain) and the others. Aware that their power is his power, Shiva takes the crew as his newest adherents, giving them a protective statuette and the power of fire.
Shiva: ...
Blinding light pours from the third eye on Shiva's forehead into every shadow of the village covered in putrid air.
Villager 4: Groaaan...
Villager 3: Aaah....
Villager 2: Huh?
Villager 1: Our bodies...
The putrid air dissipates from the once decaying village, and each of the afflicted souls recovers their energy.
Vyrn: What is it? What's going on here!
Lyria: Is this...
The people's halfdead bodies come alive again, and a luxuriant green covers the forest once more.
Villager 2: Are we... better now?
Villager 1: I-It's a miracle!
Village Boy: I get... to live too?
Village Boy: Waaah! Mama!
The village bursts into lively jubilations. Though the people seem baffled that this is reality, they tremble with joy to have their lives.
Village Boy: Skyfarers, where are you!
Shiva: We must go.
Lyria: Huh?
Vyrn: Hm?
The following moment, the cloak of flame that (Captain) and the others had worn grows into a great conflagration.
When the flames die down, (Captain) and the others find themselves somewhere very different from the village.
Lyria: Whoa! We were in the village just a second ago, weren't we? That boy was searching for us...
Vyrn: Hold up. I haven't been following things for a while now!
Shiva: The flames have transported us to another space.
Vyrn: Transported us to another space? Is that even possible!
Lyria: That boy was trying to find us. But we didn't have a chance to talk with him...
Shiva: The villagers are on the proper path once again. Henceforth they must advance with their power alone.
Shiva: Or do you wish to remain in that land and be hailed as a savior?
Vyrn: Then you mean that the people in the village are better?
Shiva: So it seems.
Vyrn: So it seems? Weren't you the one doing everything?
Shiva: My light of destruction returned to nothingness the grave darkness that pervaded the land.
Shiva: It was all on account of your potent prayer, Singularity.
Lyria: Mm...
Shiva: The salvation I could offer those people was to return them to nothingness and then birth their souls anew.
Shiva: But the exceptional might of your heart has inverted the fate of those villagers.
Shiva: That strength of heart may be the factor that controls the trajectory of all the sky.
By praying wholeheartedly for the boy, (Captain) rescued an entire village from annihilation.
The greathearted captain at last begins realizing on a gut level that the unlikely miracle was in fact real.
Vyrn: Can people's prayers really do that much?
Shiva: They can indeed.
Shiva: The source of my power is the faith of the people.
Shiva: I respond to the impassioned wishes and prayers of the children of men. There is much joy in granting salvation to all through apocalyptic fire.
Shiva: For this reason my relationship with humans is bounteous and fruitful. And the prayers of the children of men nourish me.
Shiva: If the hearts of those who pray are strong, I am able to make use of their power.
Vyrn: Whoa! So you mean to say that crazy miracle back there was all thanks to (Captain)!
Vyrn: Sweet, (Captain)! Good goin'!
Lyria: That's right!
Shiva: Humph... The red dragon speaks words I am not familiar with.
Vyrn: Huh?
Shiva: New culture and new words of the children of men are both joys to me.
Shiva: And in this moment, I have learned a new joy.
Shiva: Sweet...
Shiva: Red dragon, I have heard your words and grasped their meaning. Allow me to thank you.
Vyrn: What!
Lyria: Are you studying language, Shiva?
Shiva: What reason is there to be startled?
Vyrn: What reason? You just said something really wild, er...
Vyrn: Uh, it's just a bit strange comin' from you...
Shiva: Strange coming from me? Please explain further...
Vyrn: Huh? I wouldn't know how...
Lyria: Uh....
Vyrn: Geez... Hey, (Captain), how should I explain?
Shiva: I have heard this word geez as well.
Vyrn: Wha—
Shiva: Red dragon, your name was Vyrn, was it not? You are fascinating.
Shiva: Please instruct me in the words and culture of this age.
Vyrn: What! How come you're pickin' me?
Shiva: Are you feeling geezed?
Vyrn: Pfft... Hahaha! Do ya hafta say that with such a serious face? And you're not even sayin' it right!
Lyria: Hehe... You're kind of cute, Shiva!
Lyria: I thought that you might be scarier, but you're very kind.
Vyrn: Haha, that's right! I really like him too!
Shiva: Gwahaha... Is that so?
Shiva: Then become my adherents.
Lyria: Huh?
Vyrn: What?
Shiva: Singularity, do you wish for my power?
Shiva: A clear response. Highly agreeable.
Shiva: I see.
Speaking thus, Shiva turns his back and begins to leave.
(Captain) rushes to stop Shiva before he departs.
(Captain) shouts from behind Shiva, who is walking away.
Continue 2
Shiva: You seem to enjoy indirectness. You must learn that you can choose but once.
Continue 1
Shiva: Nagaraja.
Nagaraja: Squeak, squeak...
Still wrapped around Shiva, the serpent hands (Captain) a tiny statuette.
Vyrn: What is this?
Lyria: It looks like a thin little stone.
Shiva: It is called the Shanti.
Shiva: When I am not present, worship and cherish it as you would me.
Shiva: If you do so, the light of destruction will not shine upon you.
Vyrn: You want us to pray to this rock for you?
Shiva: Do you not wish to pray to me?
Lyria: Shiva, we'll pray with all our hearts! Thank you so much!
Shiva: Very well. May you have the protection of apocalyptic fire.
Shiva: Red dragon, I await your instruction.
Vyrn: You mean you were serious?
Shiva expresses joy to have new adherents and provides the protective power of fire to (Captain) and the others.
They are overwhelmed by the magnificent aura of the grinning Shiva.
Shiva: Child of man who weaves this world, return to the proper path.
Shiva: You, the factor who can change the trajectory of the sky... Do not lose sight of the way you are meant to tread.
Nagaraja: Squeak, squeak...