The Lighthouse

As the events leading up to the renewal of Amalia have been split into 3 main parts, this serves as the second part. More information is still being investigated as to how these events came to happen.

We already have learned that in the beginning of events, two young females Skylar Freeheart (under the name Kylie) and Bellona [unnamed] (under the name Athena) were trapped in a simulation in the home realm of Shadowvale, Dearth. The spherical facility was split along its horizontal axis, with the gravity twisted so that the flat side of each half-dome was the bottom.

The supposed “home” of Kylie was a small trading and farming town, bordered by rivers which were said to be enchanted to suck in any person who attempted to cross them. As many previous persons attempted to cross them and did, in fact, disappear, none of the residents dared to question the rumor. The overarching government isolated the people from contact with other nations and thus succeeded in convincing them that they were the kindest government they had to offer. With the population easily controlled, it would be a very long time until revolt happened; or so they believed.

In fact, this simulation was built by Shadowvale to test the kind of government that would last the longest without being rebelled against. Once a rebellion broke out, a team would enter the facility, wipe the minds of the participants and reset the area, make a calculated change to their strategy, and then try again. This strategy was also applied to the bottom dome, which utilized strong fear tactics as opposed to manipulation. This dome was where Athena was kept.

Kylie’s memory was fully wiped and she was made one of the town’s healers. Kylie was respected and regarded as benevolent and kind to her fellow citizens. She always did as she was told, even lock herself away into the prison every new moon. She didn’t want to know why. Athena, meanwhile, was left to explore her dome and scrounge for food as punishment for rejecting the ideas of that society. No one helped her, but scorned her instead.

When rebellion broke out, Athena was pursued by the Reset Team, and escaped through a maintenance tunnel. She tumbled through the gravity switch and was thrown through the air vents to the upper dome’s ventilation system, where she burst through the roof and collapsed into the forest. Kylie found the beaten up Athena while washing clothes in the river. She took compassion on Athena and hid her in her home. The maintenance team later discovered the open vent and asked around the city about it. Once they determined it had not been seen, they didn’t wipe the town’s memory and closed the vent immediately.

As the two girls put their heads together, they determined that something was off. They soon began investigating. Once they discovered the manipulation of the government, Skylar organized a revolt and managed to convince the townsfolk to fight for change. With new details unlocked amidst this (what details specifically are yet to be determined), she discovered the impending doom of organizing a revolt and tried to stop it. The Reset Team had already geared up and moved in, beginning to take citizens and break into homes. The town fought back as hard as they could, but were no match for the unrecognized magic and technology the Reset Team.

In the middle of the attack, the IAS entered the scene. Strategist Samantha Wilder picked up Kylie and removed her from the scene. Researcher Luke Turner took Athena out of the scene and returned to the scene to help evacuate the rest of the captured citizens. Agent Nikki Hikari helped evacuate citizens as well. The exact events of the rescue are still being gathered from members and other sources. As the rescue team left the premises, some members of the party were separated, and their whereabouts were unknown, listed persons including but not limited to: Samantha Wilder (strategist), Bellona [unnamed] (escapee), Skylar Freeheart (escapee), Luke Turner (researcher).

Based on the vague, unreliable reports received during the time and the reports currently coming in, the small separated party struggled to evade direct capture from Shadowvalian Hunters, supervised by Councilor Caleb Greyhawk. While seeking a portal to take them to Wirtth, the band made a detour to rescue an imprisoned ally, Matthew Freeheart. While seeking the exit, the team split into two parties, one with Luke and Bellona, and the other with Skylar, Matthew, and Samantha. On the way to the exit, a demon took control of Matthew and caused him to attack the team. Samantha was reportedly mortally wounded, but managed to seize a connection with Matthew from inside the monster and cause him to fight the monster back. Matthew returned to his conscious state and assisted Skylar in treating Samantha’s wounds. Both parties made it to Wirtth alive.

For a final push at escape, Shadowvale pursued the party as they met up with two allies prepared to meet them, Casey (co-Captain) and Mary (co-Captain). The party boarded the transport and was safely at the nearby city out of pursuit of Shadowvale within 5 hours. Once inside the co-captains’ house, Skylar tended to Samantha’s wounds and stabilized her condition. Matthew and Samantha’s younger brother Harvey Wilder, along with Harvey’s ally Meilin Hikari, connected Matthew with his parents who had been living across town, James Freeheart and Allison Freeheart. After Samantha wakes up, the third part of the recent events begins, Armies of Angels.