[~Aoria-sama~]

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

XX

A third and middle child of Violet Equisol joins the topic of conversation.

Fayre Equisol.

Standing simply within Aphros square, for all to see and convey the messages to her siblings.

And all who dare oppose her Oracle.

XX

White Cane dug firmly into cobblestone, perhaps out of frustration-

dead eyes stare narrowed upon air.

XX

"Usupers."
XX
"Traitors."
XX
"Conspirators and Defectors."
XX
"My siblings, Equinox and Solstice."
XX
"You speak against our Oracle and her decisions. Do you forget that she carries and upholds the will of Athelios himself?"
XX
"I am ashamed of you both. The Ordinance is not subjective. It is not suggestion nor is it optional. The Ordinance is law. The Dogmata of the Devout."
XX
"To speak against the Oracle's command, is to become everything we fight against. Since you seem to have forgotten what it is to serve, let me remind you."
XX
"The Self, all mortals are expected to value their life and live them to the fullest."
XX
"The Question, A tenet based upon the exploration of existence and mortal life, but one often left to be upheld by a society’s scholars. Questions are to be explored. Not law, not demands. Questions."
XX
"The Civilization, though not a concern of the rare hermits and isolationists, is still something every participant within it must work to uphold. A collective of mortals is known to be capable of so much more than the individual, their capacity for good and evil becomes exponential relative to its size and progress. Therefore, even atrocities impossible for one to commit become simple for a civilization to passively enact. Even Helheim under the administration of Athelios fell into chaos, leaving the largest blemish on the cosmic balance since time began."
XX
"The World, while they inhabit it, it is everyone’s duty to stem the tide of chaos and infection in the world itself. Gatherings of evil that have gone too far need to be expunged, cosmic mistakes can not be allowed to infest and corrupt the living. We cannot acheive this if there are none of us left to uphold this order."
XX
"The Beyond, At the end of one’s mortal life, their soul will be drawn towards the realm that suits them most. So I need you to think really hard about where your decision to go against the Oracle, the will of Athelios himself, will take you in death."
XX
"I stand with our Oracle. We will survive under Athelios will and his will alone. I stand with Athelios and live by his tenants. Going against this is not only shameful, but an embarassment to the Equisol name."
XX
"You are no siblings of mine."
XX
"Atone, before its too late."

[Zealousmelon]

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ✯ ⋅.} ────── ⊰
An Orphan from the once 'Aspera Church', Reborn.
⊱ ────── {.⋅ ✯ ⋅.} ────── ⊰


✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦. 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦. 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦. 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦
For too long has Aphros been a home, a place of belonging.
Yet there lies confliction amongst our people; between families.
Doesn't such place shame more so on us than there already is?

" In a world forged in chaos, is it wrong for fightin' for what's ours? "
" Sol', Eq', Luc'... yer not within such a minority as ye' might think. "
" Fay', why slander yer kin? "
-
" Our fate may rest within uncertainty, but I do believe in our Oracle; for they are the embodiment o' Athelios' will. "
" Yet I understand those who still wish to fight. "
" I may be just a soldier, who's words hold no true weight amongst this confliction. "
" Though there is a fine line between runnin', an' standin' yer ground; neither o' which we've crossed. "
-
" Those who choose the sanctity o' this new Twilight, I am with ye'; for even a Phoenix rises from the ashes anew. "
" But I won't simply allow our enemy to fester further then they already are. "
" For if they take just a single one o' us; we will take back a hundred more o' there own. "
" Besides, I am under oath to fight alongside my Captain; as even this new-age requires sacrifice. "

꒷ Aidan ꒷

Aidan stands with those who choose to fight.
RAID STATUS (IF ALLOWED/ENOUGH SUPPORT) ONWARD!!
(10/29)

[Zealousmelon]

Confrontation was to be expected by the boys decision; afterall, it was against the wishes of the majority as a whole.
Still, he would fight for what he believed was right; or at least what was right for him during that time.
Dear friends alongside his own Captain, would simply state the obvious 'truth'; finally causing Aidan to accept this reality.

" Sometimes a bully wields a gun. "
-
" And so we must fall back... even just a bit. "
-
" In order t' build ourselves a fuckin' cannon. "


꒷ Aidan ꒷

Aidan will no longer resist this upcoming assault

[Chance]

SKARNFEL vs. APHROS
(Early matchups. This is NOT for Sunday's battle, but for if you cannot make it then!)

Sign-Up Form: https://forms.gle/6fB8faXesUhcj5De8

Cap 2 Danger+

[Tigers101]

On the small hill overlooking Aphros, under one of the large trees, a chair sits. Shaded over, with a small gold and black cloth covering the seat. A mythril sword rests beside the seat, a mug of ale on the other. Bartolt Oakwood sits on the chair from time to time in the months leading up to the attack. At times, he shifts it, to see if he can get a better look of the city.

"A body lost's one soul hauled 'way ta th' Great Beyond. A spirit lost's a thousand souls hauled 'way. Looks like Aphros's made its choice."
"There's not much 'ope fer th' doomed city. But on th' air, I 'ear a few brave souls still wanna give it a go. A thousan' blessins' ta those who ain't yet lost their spirit! Fer those who stand 'gainst th' tide o' Fel Darkness will be th' ones ta slow th' fall o' Meranthe, by a year, a month... Hel', e'en a day!"
"M' sword rises wit' em, but it shan't rise in vain. This ain't a 'ero's world, but a crusader's. If there's e'en th' slightest 'ope o' winnin', ye 'ave my blade. If not?"
"Then I atleast wanna get th' best seat in th' 'ouse ta watch Aphros burn. An' burnin' away wit' it, anotha' 'ope o' Meranthe haltin' this Scourge."

Raid Status:  Defend if there is enough support to do so, watch the city burn if there is not.

[Bologna Prime]

A rising pitch of chaos cut unceremoniously toward silence.


There were many strange things to be seen and heard in Aphros, in those leading hours. Unrealistic phenomena meddled with the viscerally realistic despairs of a people dreading the end of their days. To some, it may have been the oracular decision that no defense should be offered for that so-dubbed Sacred State rendered to a desolate state that proved the strangest. A scarce few of the more cavalier Aphrosi natives would defy such decree, but what is the outsider to see? A land beaten to the point where the debate of whether there is anything to be done for itself is posed. Its leader should say "No.", and find more concurrence than defiance. A battle against a detestable foe, perhaps, if only it were not set upon such a pointless quagmire. So says the voice of Aphros itself, that no one should save it. It becomes clear, that there may be nothing to gain in fighting and dying over a place destined for nowhere.

It is terribly quiet now, in that city which once reigned a nation of its same name. The populace have made their decision, be it to flee for what brighter pastures still exist within Meranthe, or huddle closely to that absence of light at the city's heart. The contingents of the Elzara once sent to stand alongside the Bastion against long odds now simply listen to the
surreal silence as they prepare their march home. The silence speaks nonetheless, and it is clear: "Why are you still here?"

Whatever hope that ominous aberration of reality thrumming throughout and electrifying the air is expected to pose, it is not one any Delphinan has business whisking themselves away in. When the encroaching night over all Meranthe should come to ask much in the way of blood and sacrifice, the final moments of Aphros would be neither the time or place to pay that price for those of Delphina. Not even the Aphrosi will pay it, after all.

With a glance behind, you wonder if it is even there.

Delphina withdraws its support for the non-existent defense of "Aphros".

[Chance]

The 'final battle' is upon us, but the circumstances are certainly unusual. All civilians have evacuated or fled; mostly the latter, given that Unreality cannot support a large population. Eastern fragments have nonetheless been teleported to the hidden realm as a migration occurs.

But it has been turmoil within Aphros, morale is low and infighting has been a distraction. Most have given up and resigned themselves to defeat.

A select few haven't. There is hope still, or they just aren't willing to go down without a fight, as the invading demon horde will otherwise scorch the land.

Outnumbered... lacking leadership, lacking strength. But willing to fight: just what can they do?

...

...

...

...

...

The Kingdom of Aphros has been defended. But it is not enough: surrender and evacuation was declared long before the invading force even reached the gates, save for the few who stood independently, and thus tragedy unfolds after the initial clash. Outnumbered several thousand to a few hundred, the horde is free to force their way into the city and raise hel. 

The execution of Sinclair D. Adaira after his defeat, an experienced captain of Aphros, only marks the beginning...

Run. Run for your lives, the Lord of Time Xarxes brings destruction, and the dead will join his army. No one is here to save you. 

(For the next 7 hours (3AM EST 30th October), Aphros is no longer a safe zone. Additionally, much of the kingdom will be destroyed/razed, but not sieged (after the usual 48 hr grace). Hostilities are Cap 2+ & you can be freely attacked)