Gate of Memoirs/Out of the Blue

Even a genius can't prepare for the sky falling -- especially when it's an interdimensional traveler.
Portrait	Dialogue
 	
*Athensphere—a land of technological marvel and might.
*Ruled by a race of demigods who dedicated their lives to their people, 
*the citizens of Athensphere have known peace and prosperity after strife and war.
*And yet, the echoes of dissent still whisper through its hallowed corridors.
*Dissent that, at any other point in time, would have been overshadowed by a common enemy.
*Only now—who plays the role of the villain?
*Has anything truly changed, after all?
Portrait 	Dialogue
Music: "Dark Pursuit"	Music: "Dark Pursuit"
 	
*Two years ago...
 	
*Archon of Athensphere: Are you out of your mind?
 	
*Azius: Not as much as you are, perhaps.
*Azius: I will not sit here and watch as my work—my pride and my joy—becomes a death sentence for the people they should serve.
 	
*Azius: He was a fine captain, Archon. He WAS fine.
*Azius: If you hadn't insisted on rapidly upgrading our military enhancements—
 	
*Archon of Athensphere: Am I to be responsible for the thought patterns of my subjects now?
 	
*Azius: A weak excuse. Surely you knew Draegar's propensity for...zealousness.
*Azius: You knew he would do anything to curry your favor.
 	
*Archon of Athensphere: You speak as if I was the one who forcibly strapped him to that godforsaken suit.
 	
*Azius: No. But you may as well have. 
*Azius: Or would you like me to give you another tour of the section of the lab with your ordered augmentations?
 	
*Archon of Athensphere: You would not be saying such frivolous things had you seen the horrors on the frontlines.
 	
*Archon of Athensphere: Augmentation is essential if we are to survive.
 	
*Azius: ...Survive what? Wars that you've started in the name of "defense" and "glory?"
*Azius: That will be *all* from me, my Lord.
 	
*Archon of Athensphere: If you dare step out of this room—
 	
*Azius: It will be the last you'll see of me, at any rate.
 	
*Azius: Try not to destroy the capital with your senseless, petty wars.
 	
*Before the Archon can respond to this slight, Azius was gone in a flurry of cloth and cape.
 	
*Archon of Athensphere: All this over the death of a fool who pushed too hard. Outrageous.
*Archon of Athensphere: Praetor!
 	
*Praetor: Yes, my Lord?
 	
*Archon of Athensphere: See to it that the Tinkerer does not leave the city.
*Archon of Athensphere: And if he does...Spare no effort bringing him back.
*Archon of Athensphere: In the meantime, have the rest of his staff continue in his absence.
 	
*Archon of Athensphere: We can't afford to have operations at a standstill.
Portrait 	Dialogue
Music: "Ghost" 	Music: "Ghost"
 	
*At the far edge of civilization, amid the crumbling ruins of the ancient capital of the gods...
*"I have evaded their efforts for two full years now. Two!"
*"Truly an achievement even I can be proud of, considering they were using MY advancements to track my every move."
*"They were so certain they knew of the escape route I 'hid' in my laboratory. That was in plain sight, the fools."
 	
*Azius: Ah, I wish I was there to see that raging red giant's look of anguish when it led him back to the aqueducts.
*Azius: Did he think himself clever, or did he think me so careless?
 	
**rustle*
 	
*Azius: Tch. Just when I thought I could have a moment to bask in the sun...
 	
*Azius pockets the small journal he'd been writing in, and slips away into the shadows of the pillars.
*A squad of Grievesnares emerge from the woods, their sinister red gazes sweeping the forest before them.
*Grievesnare: Grrrstt... [Detecting...]
*As the monstrous machines stalk past Azius's hiding spot, a loud bang reverberates around the area.
*A massive rift tears open in the sky, and you—reeling from your impromptu travel through an unstable portal—
*plummet unceremoniously into a pillar, causing it to tip over and crash to the floor.
 	
*???: What in the name of—
Music: "Strike! Break!"	Music: "Strike! Break!"
 	
*Before you can blink the stars out of your eyes or figure out how you managed to survive that, 
*mechanical monstrosities begin to surround you on all sides.
*Grievesnare: GRRRSSTTT!! [HOSTILE DETECTED.]
 	
*???: I hope you know how to fight!