Thread: ☢Final Fantasy: Edyn's Lament☢ [-Haru|Lila-]

Stryker was on patrol, walking his rounds about the facility. It was a quiet night, all things considered, and just as he'd done nearly a dozen times over the last hour or so, he checked his weapons and gear. Everything was as it should be, and he looked with a passionless gaze through the small window and into one of the labs . Like so many others he'd been brought here a number of years ago. That's what it seemed like anyway. Stryker had long ago lost his sense of time. He could remember snippets of things. He'd been much younger when they brought him here, right? It really didn't matter, and he wasn't the same person now as he'd been then. He'd always been a good fighter. One of the best swordsmen of his generation really. The idle thoughts were something that ran through his mind constantly. His right hand rested on the hilt of his sword, the weapon tied to him by his genome and unable to be wielded by anyone else. One of the benefits, or possible side effects, of his time under the watchful eyes of the Jenova Project. Courtesy of the ARC Corporation of course. Not that Stryker had much else to think about. Another one of the effects of his condition. Under the thumb of the Corporation, their leash tight about his throat. Not that Stryker even realized it. Not fully. Pulling his gaze back from the small window, he continued his rounds. It wasn't long before he moved from the area of the labs and into the sections of holding cells. Herein were the beings, like him, that had been given various courtesies under the machinations of Professor Gand . Jonas Gand, star pupil of the University of Shornhelm. Their Science Division was the most reknowned in all of Edyn, and even before Jenova, Gand had been making a name for himself. --------------- Edyn , a lush world, thriving with life. A perfect opportunity for Jenova. Jenova, a being that moves from planet to planet, preying on the life there before moving on to the next. This process was cyclical, and had been repeated for as long as Jenova itself could remember. Able to take any form, any shape, and use its prey's emotions against itself, Jenova is an utterly adaptable lifeform. The impact of Jenova's landing upon Edyn formed the huge crater known now as the Atlan Wastes. The impact alone killed hundreds of thousands, and might have even been an extinction level event if not for the desires of Jenova itself - which wanted to keep as much life on the planet as possible so that it could feed. At first the sentient beings of Edyn did not know what they were dealing with, and Jenova did not even have to roam the planet, as curious scienetists and others came to explore and observe. It did not take long for them to discover what sort of being had come to Edyn, and yet this did not act as a deterrent, and they moved to contain the threat. With the help of ARC, the planet's leading military and resource management company, the people of Edyn managed to contain Jenova. Or so they thought. Even through their containment, the influence of Jenova persuaded the foremost scientists and researchers of Edyn to bring it subjects. Soon the experimentation had begun, the introduction of Jenova Cells to willing, and unwilling, members of the populace. ARC saw it as an opportunity to expand their power, while Gand and his colleagues saw the depth of the science and the benefits this being could bring to Edyn. The impact of Jenva with the planet had brought other discovers as well. Auracite, or materia, a condensed form of energy deep beneath the planet's surface, was found to have amazing properties. It allowed one to draw forht various effects, magic, and bolster various physical characteristics of the myriad races of Edyn. Not only that, but the energy could be harnessed for various machines as well, and the technology of Edyn advanced by leaps and bounds. In the following decades of research and development, auracite became an item in everyday use, even if most of the citizens did not own auracite themselves, and the experiments with both Jenova and the auracite continued. --------------- As Stryker continued on his rounds, he passed the lab of Professor Hojo , colleague and peer of Gand, and the head of the Scientific Division of ARC. He and Gand work hand in hand on the Jenova Project, and had started, some years ago, doing experiments with materia as well, and the energy the stones possessed. That was how they'd come to discover not only the way to power machines with the energy, but to augment living beings as well. Stryker was one of the results. With a nod to Hojo through the glass Stryker continued on his way, the holding cells containing successful and failed experiments both. Stryker stopped at the entrance to each cell, peering in through the viewport to check on each subject, to make sure they were in good health, relatively, and perhaps even share a few words. There were several of his fellow subjects that he got along well with, though not all were as well-adjusted as he was. --------------- Despite what ARC and its scientists might have thought, the planet itself knew better, and saw Jenova for what it was. A blight. A plague. A virus that would destroy all life and suck the plnaet dry only to move onward and repeat the cycle as it had done for thousands of years. In this, Edyn was not defenseless, and it called upon the First Race. The Far'Anthi. The Far'Anthi were considered long lost, and most didn't even know of them. The first race that had ever existed upon the planet, they were, in fact, as close to perfection as Jenova itself. As the other races came into being, the Far'Anthi helped foster them, setting them on their respective paths. The Far'Anthi themselves had a strict caste system Protectors and Hunters, Sages and Arcanists. Each Far'Anthi had their role, their place in the natural order of things. And so as their time came to an end, the Far'Anthi entered into their Eternal Slumber, retreating beneath the surface of the planet. The arrival and impact of Jenova stirred them from this slumber, and it was not long after the arrival of Jenova that the Far'Anthis Towers appeared. Rising from the desert, the immense towers held the few remaining Far'Anthi, who would awaken and wander forth, intent on finding the threat to the planet and eradicating it. Of course, the rise of the towers brought the curious, just as Jenova had, and ARC knew that this could be no sheer coincidence. In fact, this was seen as yet another opportunity, and though the Far'Anthi were viewed as ancient myth and legend, the stories of them had not been completely forgotten. Though most would view them with awe and reverence, ARC knows no such things, and just as they had with Jenova, they moved to seize what Far'Anthi they could, intent on using them to their own end. --------------- The ARC building . The seat of power of the immense megacorporation in the city of Shornhelm . Shornhelm sits in the southern segment of the Atlan Wastes, and at the moment is home to Jenova. Held in a highly secure and virtually impenetrable containment unit far beneath the ARC building, the labs and research centers of ARC take up several city blocks below ground. That was where Stryker was now, and his hand rested on the hilt of his sword, just in case. CLASSIFIED NOTES OF PROFESSOR HOJO Subject Stryker Blacke Age Unknown, though approx. 22 years Height 1.77 meters 5'10 Weight 79.37 kilograms 175 lbs. Hair Dark brown Eyes Blue Date March, 15 years AJ After Jenova Subject Blacke was brought to us by the Military Division of ARC, ARCMD, one of their brightest and most promising cadets. It was understood that his superior physiology should be able to handle the strain of the experiments. As with most subjects, a prolonged exposure to auracite was given before any direct augmentation was tried. ARCMD Cadet Picture enclosed Subject Blacke rected favorably to the introduction of auracite to his physiology, and grafting of the stone to his body was successful. Both bone density and muscle efficiency were increased, though a period of illness preceded full integration. Strength and speed increased exponentially, the upper limits of which have been unexplored, though base readings indicate substantial improvement over cadet's previous conditioning. Increased tolerance for pain, as well as increased ocular and olfactory senses made Subject Blacke a perfect candidate for possible future exposure to Jenova Cells. Hunter by nature, Subject Blacke will be exposed to Jenova Cells within the week. Date June, 16 AJ Injection of Jenova Cells into Subject Blacke have met with mixed results. Already augmented by Auracite, the Jenova Cells are not reached full integration. Changes in eye and hair color indicate usage of Subject Blacke's abilities. Subject Blacke at rest Subject Blacke raising a kinetic shield - note the change in the Subject's eye color Subject's hair color changing - under influence of Jenova Cells Further experimentation will have to be done, though Subject currently seems docile under influence of Jenova. Theory indicates this might be due to proximity between Subject and Jenova. The alarm had blared throughout the facility, the regular employees of ARC instructed to stay where they were, as the armed guards of ARC answered to the labs. Several Subjects had escaped, most of them after having been injected with Jenova Cells. This was disastrous. That had been a week ago, and the Jenova Reunion Theory was not panning out just yet, and so it had been decided that other Subjects would be deployed to hunt them down. Each Hunter was picked with care, and usually for the personal ties that they had to those that had escaped. As expected, Stryker was called from his duties to a meeting in one of the secured corridors. None other than Professor Gand was there, and the scientist had a little bit to say. As you know Stryker, Lunenova has gone missing. Gand told him, picking his words carefully. Escaped was not a suitable term for Stryker to hear. We know that you have spoken with her in the past, and we are hoping that you can bring her back. Gand continued. Stryker looked about the room. Gand and Hojo both were here, which meant that this must be pretty important. Stryker nodded. I can bring her back. Stryker said confidently. Of course you will be given whatever equipment you need. Gand told him, obviously pleased with his decision to help. There was not much talking after that, and Stryker packed a few things, grabbed his weapons, and headed out. It was his first time out on the streets of Shornhelm in a long while, and though he did not tarry, Stryker loved the feeling of the sun on his skin and the wind in his hair. In preparation to find Lune, Stryker had been given an article of her clothing, her scent in the fabric. It would likely not be easy to find her, but Stryker was confident in his abilities.