Scenario:Sylvia - A Crusade Long Past
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A Crusade Long Past
Long ago, Sylvia engaged in a fated battle with Olivia, ending with the archangel sealing both combatants away. Upon awakening, she learns that the conflict between archangels and fallen angels had long since ended. Olivia then invites her former friend aboard the Grandcypher.
Archangels—among the first primals born during the era of Astral rule over the Sky Realm.
A number of these beings turned against their Astral makers and the Creator; those known today as fallen angels.
Amid the chaos of warfare between the archangels, fallen angels, and skydwellers, two figures exchange devastating blows.
Sylvia: Have you any plans to repent? As a former friend, I'd be willing to put in a good word on your behalf.
Olivia: Oh, for my sake? Hah. You flatter me. Are you that desperate for my approval?
Sylvia: Well, it looks like my words have fallen upon deaf ears—but I'm not surprised, considering how you are. So be it. You leave me no choice...
Sylvia: I am Sylvia the Punisher! In the name of the Astrals and the Creator, I will vanquish you!
Olivia: Come. I, the Dark Angel Olivia, will stop at nothing to obtain my freedom!
Sylvia: Hraaagh!
Olivia: Haaah!
The showdown between darkness and light fills the area with the flickers of clashing blades.
Sylvia: Hehe... Taking you down might prove to harder than I thought.
Olivia: That goes without saying. How many times have we locked blades in the past already? I'm aware of every one of your habits and weak points.
Sylvia: I'm touched you know me so well! But...
Sylvia: This is our first time doing it to the death!
Sylvia takes another swing at Olivia, missing her target by a hair's breadth.
Although the two had shared many a laugh in the past, they now face each other as mortal enemies.
However...
Olivia: I'm not done yet!
Sylvia: Nor am I!
The pair of angels grow visibly excited, their smiles widening with each passing moment.
Sylvia: Try dodging this!
Olivia: Hrk!
Olivia: (I have to keep her distracted until the time is right—which means reading between her every move!)
Olivia: Now!
Sylvia: ...!
Olivia threads the needle as she pierces the tiniest of openings in Sylvia's defenses.
Sylvia: Hrgh... Fine, Olivia. You win. Come, pierce me deeper!
Olivia: What are you... Hey, let go!
Before the dark angel can create some space, Sylvia grabs the sword and pushes it toward her own core.
Sylvia: Go ahead. Do it. Why the hesitation? You can't kill me without destroying my core!
Olivia: Stop, Sylvia! What are you doing!
Partly directed by her own hand, the blade grazes Sylvia's core, when suddenly...
A sharp crack echoes through the air.
Olivia: (My arm... I can't move!)
A wave of crystals emerges from Sylvia's wound, quickly enveloping Olivia's arm.
Olivia: (Wait, they're spreading so fast! I'm going to get completely covered!)
Sylvia: Hehe... Oh, Olivia. What a fool you are. I see you've finally realized what's happening.
Sylvia: My body itself is the very trap that will seal you fallen angels away!
Olivia: No... You can't do this! You'll go out with me too!
Olivia: Why do you insist on following our makers? We are nothing more than tools to them!
Sylvia: You really are a fool, Olivia. This is what I wanted.
Sylvia: Beasts though we may be, I considered the two of us friends.
Sylvia: I wanted us to continue honing our swordsmanship, giving ourselves over to our respective duties...
Sylvia: So why has it come to this?
Sylvia: You said we'd always be together, Olivia!
Olivia: ...!
Sylvia...
Sylvia...
Olivia's desperate struggle to break away from Sylvia—suddenly, for just an instant—stops.
Sylvia: Why?
Seizing the opportunity, the crystals spread with an even greater force, nearly consuming the bodies of both primals almost immediately.
Sylvia: Why stop resisting? You've already abandoned me, have you not!
Sylvia: You tossed aside your friends! You've shunned your makers! You only care about freedom now, don't you!
Olivia: I'm sorry.
Sylvia: Enough! I can't seal you away, not like this—
At last, the crystallization reaches Sylvia's face, silencing her completely.
Sylvia: (This isn't the Olivia I set out to kill...)
Alone with her thoughts, the archangel glares into the void before falling unconscious.
The two primals, both encased together in crystal, fall to the ground, where they are eventually discovered by a group of Astral researchers.
Astral Researcher: The fallen angel we'll send to the tower. This other one's purpose has already been served. It'll be recycled if possible, disposed of otherwise.
Astral Researcher: Separating them is no small task, however... The results from this type don't justify the effort involved. Perhaps we should reconsider their use.
Sylvia: ...
Many, many years later...
Lyria: Vyrn! You snuck snacks from Sandalphon's cafe again, didn't you!
Vyrn: O-oh, um... Well, (Captain) was hungry, so...
Lyria: Hm? (Captain), is that true?
Choose: Is that where those came from?
Lyria: Honestly, Vyrn! You didn't tell (Captain) where you got them?
Choose: I couldn't help myself...
Lyria: Oh, (Captain)! But it's true the treats there are really good... So I kinda get how it happened...
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Lyria: Anyway, just because Sandalphon's out doing business, that doesn't mean you get to snack behind his back!
Lyria: Right, Olivia?
Olivia: I agree. Lyria is correct.
Olivia: Let's see... How about replenishing the missing snacks at our next stop as an apology?
During the events involving Peisma, Sariel, and the precipian entities being incubated by Berceau...
Olivia revealed her secret to the crew, that she too is a fallen angel.
Olivia: (I suppose there's no longer a reason for animosity between archangels and fallen angels...)
But to them, these hundreds of years after the Astrals disappearance, the fact was little more than historical trivia.
Lyria: We'll do what Olivia said and buy the snacks, then go apologize, okay?
Lyria: Apparently, there's a famous cake shop at the next island.
Vyrn: Ooh... Sounds like a plan to me.
Olivia: (Though things may appear peaceful now, (Captain)'s crew carries the weight of an unfulfilled fate...)
Olivia: (I too must eventually join my brethren, the precipian entities, in taking down the Creator...)
Olivia: (This period of tranquility will one day come to an end. The question is when...)
???: Hehe...
Olivia: ...!
Turning around, Olivia unleashes an attack—only for it to be blocked in a single graceful movement.
Olivia: Impossible. It's you...
Sylvia: Thank goodness. You remember me.
Olivia: Sylvia! So you've finally freed yourself from that seal's grasp!
Sylvia: I have, indeed. But I must say... I didn't expect you to escape so quickly!
Olivia: Hrk! Everyone, get below deck! Now!
Vyrn: Yikes! Wh-what's with this lady!
(Captain) takes a swing at the uninvited guest while guarding Vyrn and Lyria.
Sylvia: I will fulfill my duty as a punisher and destroy you, fallen angel!
Sylvia dodges the captain's attack with ease, her eyes locked onto Olivia alone.
Vyrn: What's her deal? She isn't even lookin' our way...
Lyria: It's like she can only see Olivia...
Lyria: And I think she's in pain...
Olivia: You're still trapped by that duty of yours? So you don't know what's happened in the time since then!
Sylvia: Time is irrelevant when it comes to my duty—it's the very reason I exist! That's what it means to be an archangel!
Sylvia: I will destroy all fallen angels! If I don't—
Olivia: Sylvia! Our fight is over!
Sylvia: ...!
Olivia: It's over. The era of war between archangels and fallen angels is behind us.
Olivia: The Astrals have disappeared from the Sky Realm. There is no reason for us to keep fighting.
Sylvia: Wh-what are you... That's impossible...
Olivia: You've noticed it yourself, have you not? The lack of our makers' presence.
Sylvia: Lies...
Seeing Sylvia slump to the ground as she comes to terms with her new reality, Olivia begins to explain softly.
The Astrals' withdrawal, the long gap, the role of supreme primarch changing hands, the destruction of Pandemonium.
And, finally, that archangels and fallen angels now travel the skies together as crewmates.
Olivia: So? Have I convinced you?
Sylvia: ...
Olivia: Sylvia?
Sylvia: I suppose, yes... I can't find a reason for us to fight any further...
Sylvia: I'd like a moment alone...
Vyrn: Hey, hold on a sec!
Olivia: Apologies, but please let her be. She should pose no threat to anyone other than fallen angels.
Olivia: Besides, she must feel as if her entire world has been turned upside down overnight.
Lyria: That's true...
Lyria: I guess she was only attacking you during that fight... It should be safe enough to leave her alone—right, (Captain)?
The captain nods, then leaves with the others to tidy up the deck.
Olivia: Her name is Sylvia. She and I were the closest of friends during my days as an archangel.
Olivia takes a moment to tell the crew about her relationship with Sylvia. Meanwhile...
Sylvia: Freedom? From my duty?
Sylvia: Freedom?
Hah. Hahaha...
Hah. Hahaha...
Sylvia: I'm sorry about yesterday. I didn't mean to shock you all... I spent last night mulling things over and finally calmed down.
Lyria: Oh, that's a relief...
Sylvia: It'll take some time, but I think I may be able to accept that the fighting is over.
Sylvia: I owe it all to you, Olivia. Thank you for stopping me.
Olivia: It's fine. This is a lot to drop on you at once. I know it must be difficult to swallow.
Sylvia: Since I'm already inconveniencing you all, I have a request—would you please allow me to join you for the time being?
Vyrn: You mean... you wanna join our crew?
Sylvia: I know it's a lot to ask, but I have nowhere else to go. At least here, I'd have Olivia by my side.
Sylvia: In exchange, I'll lend you my strength as a punisher. What do you say?
Lyria: Hrm... I guess she doesn't seem like a bad person...
Sylvia: Thank you. On my role, I promise to protect this ship—no matter what.
Sylvia: Hehe, but I'm sure it won't come down to that! Thanks for having me. I look forward to getting to know you all.
Choose: Get along with Olivia, okay?
Sylvia: Oh? Hehe, but of course!
Sylvia: She is, after all, my one and only dear friend. Isn't that right, Olivia?
Olivia: Hm? Y-yes, that's right...
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Vyrn: I-is it just me, or does she seem totally different from yesterday?
Lyria: I think so too... But she was a friend of Olivia's, right? I'm sure everything will be fine...
And so, the crew welcome their newest member—Sylvia the Punisher.
Sylvia: (I will kill her... I swear it.)
Sylvia: (But first, I need more information... The correct course of action is to lay low and observe the archangels and fallen angels here.)
Sylvia: (I must stay vigilant and ready myself for the moment I unsheathe my blade.)
Sylvia: (The time to vanquish the fallen angels and fulfill my duty as a punisher will come!)
Sylvia: (Just you wait, Olivia. I'll crush your freedom with my own two hands!)