[Video/ action in the Edge of Madness]

[rebornaninsect]

[The crystal is held in someone's hand when it starts to record. There's the impression of clawed gauntlet fingers around it. What can mainly be seen, however, is a huge man completely covered in some rather impressive armor. The Edge of Madness makes for a gloomy backdrop. He doesn't seem to be aware that the crystal is recording him.]

So, despite

Comments

[unseenspy]

"Unending nature?"

[He doesn't like the sound of that...]

[rebornaninsect]

[Golbez pauses. Voices speaking out of nowhere among those who serve Chaos aren't that unusual, but they usually reveal themselves shortly after- and they don't usually ask questions like that. Those are things more often heard from Warriors of Cosmos. He answers warily.]

This is far from the first battle between Cosmos and Chaos. Nor, it seems, is it the last. Even when one has been defeated, they are restored, to begin the battles anew.

[unseenspy]

...And what happens to those who are caught in the conflict?

[rebornaninsect]

We are revived with each conflict, and fight anew.

[Golbez doesn't like talking to a person he can't see. He's shifting around to try and determine where Jay might be, now.]

I take it you are new to Chaos's warriors.

[action]

[hallowedlight]

[Cecil recognises the man on the crystal, though he can't immediately remember how or why. Seeing as though he's so close by, the dark knight decides to just go speak to him in person. He takes the nearest portal crystal and arrives in the Edge of Madness, hesitating briefly before approaching the imposing figure.]

...Golbez?

[It's a questioned tinged with uncertainty. He's not even sure if what few memories he has are reliable any more, but at least he remembers a name, which is more than he can recall about most other warriors.]

[action]

[rebornaninsect]

[...Well, there's the person he was wanting to find. He just wasn't expecting to see him so soon. Or here, of all places. He'd meant to find and check the Lunar Subterrane first.]

Cecil.

Why are you here?

[It's a broad question. It's meant to be. Cecil being able to be here before him indicates that he'd been awoken to the cycle earlier than Golbez, which in turn indicated that Cosmos had been considered victorious- yet Golbez remembered everything of the last few cycles. He needed to discover how much Cecil knew.]

[action]

[hallowedlight]

[Golbez knows him, at least, which is a start. So far, people seem to recognise him far more often than Cecil recognises them, and it's unsettling. The question, though, only confuses him. Why wouldn't he be here?]

I recognised you over the crystal, so I came to speak with you.

[action]

[rebornaninsect]

Over the crystal? You have one of your own? [And communication between them had not been something that had seemed possible, in the previous cycles. He had definitely missed something.

And Cecil had said 'recognized,' not 'saw.']

And why have you come here, to the very stronghold of Chaos?

[brightsiding]

The cycle..?

You've- have you done this, before?

[rebornaninsect]

Yes. This is hardly the first time Chaos and Cosmos have fought.

[brightsiding]

Really? And... You remember doing it? You remember fighting?

[rebornaninsect]

Yes. You do not, I take it?

[He's not surprised. He bets she's a Cosmos warrior, and a new one at that. They don't often remember.]

[Video / Action]

[38thdefender]

Wait! You know more about this war?

[Looks like he was too late. He's running out toward Edge of Madness now to look for Golbez.]

[Video / Action]

[rebornaninsect]

[Golbez had heard the voice from the crystal, but hadn't known what to do about it, so he turned his attention to what he felt was a more important matter- searching out ways to learn what this cycle would bring.

He drew to a halt as he heard, then saw, Kurtis running toward him. Another new warrior. Chaos seems to have gained a lot of those.]

Yes?

[Action]

[38thdefender]

[Kurtis caught up to Golbez quickly enough, moving surprisingly fast with his small legs.]

My name is Kurtis. I've been looking for someone who knows more about the war, so I could figure out why I'm fighting for Chaos.

[Action]

[rebornaninsect]

You ask why you fight for Chaos? [Well, that's a new question.]

You were summoned by Chaos because there is darkness in your heart. You have done evil in the past, and Chaos would take advantage of that. Whether you would accept that darkness or not, it is the reason.

[Video]

[bound_skyward]

Cycle? Unending?

...Explain yourself.

[Video]

[rebornaninsect]

[Sorry, give him a moment. He wasn't quite expecting to see you. Since you kind of died.]

Kain.

It seems all rules of the war have been broken.

[Video]

[bound_skyward]

[Kain remembers dying a couple times, but not the battle you would know of. He exploded instead. :|]

Who are you... and what do you mean by that?

[Video]

[rebornaninsect]

I am Golbez. [A pause, then, since Kain doesn't seem to remember, either;] Cecil's brother.

I mean that I did not expect you to be here.