fhlogs | EVENT: Heartless Swarm

January 2026

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4_lumps_of_thread - Re: Yeah.

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Things have been fairly peaceful for a while now as everyone has settled into their current lives on this new world. But one day towards late summer, that all comes to an end.

One of the portals in the sky suddenly opens again, an odd glowing light surrounding it as it ejects creature after creature. Then it closes, followed by another glowing portal elsewhere in the sky emitting the same creatures. Small and black, mostly, with odd antennae and glowing eyes. Some here will know them. The Heartless, creatures of the darkness who seek hearts. Those they attack, if they give in to the darkness in their hearts, will become Heartless themselves.

Where is a Keybearer when we need one?!

OOC INFO

Heartless can be encountered anywhere! They're pouring into Edge, the Midgar ruins, Kalm, Wutai, and everywhere else. Balamb Garden won't be spared, but if they're able to seal everything off in time and take flight, they may be safe from the majority of the creatures and be a safehouse for anyone desperate to escape them.

Anyone familiar with Heartless is encouraged to try to defeat them (or control them, if they're lucky enough to possess that ability). But they may find something else will push back if they try. Did someone deliberately send the Heartless through the portals? Who, and why? Does someone on the other side of those portals know what's happening here? And why are the portals glowing when they open? Is there any important significance in that?

(And yes, this is a very significant event that will have a deep bearing on the overall plot!)

Before anyone asks, having your character become a Heartless is probably not a good idea, given that it would be very difficult to get them back to their normal selves at this point in the game. But we welcome intense situations of Heartless trying their hardest to claim hearts before they're stopped!

The event is scheduled to run through August 10th, but backdating and backtagging is encouraged for as long as everyone wants! Post toplevels to this post or create new posts!

Tags:

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

4_lumps_of_thread

"Until we can leave, this is as best we've got for a home," Sandry said. "We have to help defend it."

"I can brew us some energy tea," Briar said. "And I have some soup balls."

"Food would help," Sandry said, nodding. "And I can weave some bandages while I eat for anyone who might need them."

"I have some oils to work into them, but I'll have to replenish soon," Briar said.

"If we're taking a food break no one had better bother me while I read my book," Tris said.

"I'll help with whatever is needed," Daja said.

From:

3wingedangel

"You don't have to stay here," Sephiroth said in concern. "There's a hotel in town where most of the displaced people are staying."

He didn't like to think of them out in the middle of nowhere, especially now that Heartless were attacking.

From:

4_lumps_of_thread

They all gave him a look like he wasn't the brightest.

"We ment this country," Briar said, trying to fight a laugh. "Not this exact space."

Daja snorted. "Me and Briar maybe, but can you really see Sandry living out in the open?"

"Hey!" Sandry protested. "I could make it work if I had to, I'd make us waterproof tents with comfortable flooring."

"And copper curls needs altitude and a library," Briar added.

Tris made a face at him. "The few books we've managed to gather here hardly qualifies as a library."

From:

3wingedangel

"Then as I said, we should leave and return to the city," Sephiroth replied matter-of-factly. Since he had mentioned going to the city and they had seemed to object, even planning to brew tea and make soup, it had certainly sounded like they wanted to be in this space.

From:

4_lumps_of_thread

That response had been more to them sitting out rather than them going back to the city. Briar helped Tris up. "C'mon, Copper Curls."

Sandry sighed as she took Daja's help up. "Not to sound like the spoiled rich kid you all think I am, but I do rather wish we had our horses here."

"I'm not a spoiled rich kid and I wish we had them too," Daja said, blandly. "As we don't, we'll have to make due with each other, Saati."

"I'd make a crude joke," Briar said, "But I am physically touching Tris and would rather not get drowned."

"Saves me having to knock some brains into your kaq head as well then," Daja said, shaking her head as she started helping Sandry along.

From:

3wingedangel

Sephiroth opened a portal for them to all walk through. "Luckily, we can quickly get to the city this way," he said. If they would trust him enough to use it. The hotel could be seen on the other side.

From:

4_lumps_of_thread

"We've done weirder," Briar said. "And I for one prefer weird over walking." He helped Tris through the portal. Daja and Sandry followed.

From:

3wingedangel

Relieved they weren't going to make a fuss, Sephiroth went in with them and closed the portal after them. Thankfully, the street seemed peaceful. So far, at least, Heartless weren't attacking this area. People were calmly walking past. Some were going to the hotel.

From:

4_lumps_of_thread

"How do we find and hunt these things down?" Daja asked him once the portal was closed.

From:

3wingedangel

"They will come wherever they sense darkness in hearts," Sephiroth said. In other words, sooner or later they'll be everywhere.

From:

4_lumps_of_thread

"Less cryptic would be helpful," Briar said, dryly.

From:

3wingedangel

"That is not cryptic, but fact," Sephiroth said. "Anyone giving in to their darkness could draw them out."

From:

4_lumps_of_thread

"What does that even mean?" Tris snapped.

From:

3wingedangel

"Frankly, it means even you could attract them," Sephiroth said matter-of-factly. "They feed off of any kind of negative feelings or emotions. If two of you got into an argument, you might be swarmed by them."

From:

4_lumps_of_thread

"Whelp, we're doomed, it was a good run, guys," Briar said.

Daja snorted. "We'd have died before we ever met the empress if that was enough, there has to be more."

From:

3wingedangel

“The darkness can be overcome,” Sephiroth said. “You’ve already seen you can defeat the Heartless.”

But hopefully they would not have to immediately fight more of them.

From:

4_lumps_of_thread

"I don't think we can go a whole five minutes without arguing," Daja said, blandly. "I suppose we could use ourselves as bait once we prepare."

From:

3wingedangel

"Perhaps," Sephiroth agreed. "But it would be better if you didn't have to immediately plunge into another battle. You should recover at the hotel for a while first. I have a protection spell over it and so far the Heartless have been unable to get through it."

From:

4_lumps_of_thread

"Then we should go to areas that aren't under the protective shell," Sandry said, frowning, her lips pressed thin with tension between words.

Briar shuddered subtly, but nodded. "As soon as we can resupply."

From:

3wingedangel

"Yes. After you resupply and rest," Sephiroth said, heading for the hotel and looking back to make sure they were coming.

From:

4_lumps_of_thread

Seeing the direction they were being led, Daja cleared her throat. "We're that way, actually. We've got a house."

"Figured its better for everyone if we weren't on top of everyone else," Briar said with a shrug.

"Because some people might bot want a barefoot street rat scampering around," Tris said with a snort.

"You shouldn't be so hard on yourself, Copper curls...." Briar said.

Tris looked ready to strangle him.

From:

3wingedangel

"Hm. Very well then." Sephiroth came back from the hotel entrance. "Show me your house. I will cast a protection spell on it until you're prepared to fight again."