Welcome to Adventu, your final fantasy rp haven. adventu focuses on both canon and original characters from different worlds and timelines that have all been pulled to the world of zephon: a familiar final fantasy-styled land where all adventurers will fight, explore, and make new personal connections.
at adventu, we believe that colorful story and plots far outweigh the need for a battle system. rp should be about the writing, the fun, and the creativity. you will see that the only system on our site is the encouragement to create amazing adventures with other members. welcome to adventu... how will you arrive?
year 5, quarter 3
Welcome one and all to our beautiful new skin! This marks the visual era of Adventu 4.0, our 4th and by far best design we've had. 3.0 suited our needs for a very long time, but as things are evolving around the site (and all for the better thanks to all of you), it was time for a new, sleek change. The Resource Site celebrity Pharaoh Leep was the amazing mastermind behind this with minor collaborations from your resident moogle. It's one-of-a-kind and suited specifically for Adventu. Click the image for a super easy new skin guide for a visual tour!
Final Fantasy Adventu is a roleplaying forum inspired by the Final Fantasy series. Images on the site are edited by KUPO of FF:A with all source material belonging to their respective artists (i.e. Square Enix, Pixiv Fantasia, etc). The board lyrics are from the Final Fantasy song "Otherworld" composed by Nobuo Uematsu and arranged by The Black Mages II.
The current skin was made by Pharaoh Leap of Pixel Perfect. Outside of that, individual posts and characters belong to their creators, and we claim no ownership to what which is not ours. Thank you for stopping by.
[attr="class","kdahdr"] Alright, partner. You know what time it is!
[attr="class","kdatxtgrad"]
[attr="class","kdatxtbox"]
[attr="class","kdatxt"]
The mention of travelling the skies made the rhythm of Zell's heart increase. Despite having no memories of being in a flying ship, there was a sudden urge to want to. This would not be the first time he had felt this way about a particular subject and as long as he did not have memories, it would not be his last.
He was preparing to follow up with another question, this time about airships, when their boat came to a sudden stop. Noises came from the treeline that bordered the river and was loud enough to have Balthier halt their vessel. Within seconds, a woman wearing red came into sight and along with her were the undead entourage. Balthier already had his weapon drawn and sent out a shot, killing one of the ghouls. Then three more appeared, which the woman began to deal with on her own.
“You may join me at any moment. Don’t worry. I don’t bite.”
It was a familiar voice that left the SeeD motionless for a moment. His mind raced to put the pieces together, trying to figure out who this person was and why he recognized them. But Balthier beckoned Zell to join the fight and there was too much danger for him to stand idle.
Quickly, Zell used the side of the ship to launch himself towards one of the ghouls. His body twisted around while mid-air to drive his foot into the side of one of the enemy's skulls. The head of the walking corpse was already loosely attached to the body by rotting flesh, which caused it to be completely removed on impact with Zell's kick. Not only that, but the decapitated head shot in the direction of the remaining ghoul and crashed into the side of that one's face. Although it would not kill the final zombie, it did enough damage to knock its jaw off and leave it off balance for a follow up attack
Zell had no problem with having to finish the remaining ghoul, so long as no one else beat him to it. But the sounds of other undead began to close in on their position. If they needed to flee, that would be Balthier's call.
It seemed the woman wasn’t quite so helpless as appearances would suggest. As soon as he’d knocked back the first, she was back on her feet, hand at her hip. Her movements were slow and laborious, but she had a look in her eye that promised a fight. She pulled it from its holster and flicked it with a crack as loud as any bullet. A whip. Now that was new.
She started casting a spell as Balthier aligned his aim. He hardly had a chance to pull the trigger, however, before she released a sound that burst from her in visible waves. Balthier winced, touching at his ear as her assailants flew backwards into the underbrush. ”Well aren’t you full of surprises?”
Zell threw himself forward at her command, somehow managing to flip himself around and landing a flying kick squarely at a ghoulish head. Said head cracked with a sickening crunch before it was sent crashing into the nearest tree. The entire effect was macabre to say the least. Balthier tilted his head, adjusted his aim, and fired. His shot hit the last in the jaw. The impact sent it crashing to the riverbank.
However necessary it had been, the cacophony of gunshots, whips, and magic may have been less than advised. Already, the trees rustled in all directions undercut by stumbling footsteps and ghastly moans. Balthier holstered his gun and threw himself behind the wheel again, hand ready on the ignition.
”It’s time we made our exit!” Balthier cast a glance to them then looked past to the grasping arms already bursting out of the foliage behind them. ”I’ll not be bested here. Come along or stay behind!” He waited a moment longer than he’d have liked -- long enough for both of them to find their way onto the deck. He thrust the engine into full power as soon as their feet had landed, bursting through the water with enough speed strike them all with sour mist.
Balthier kept his eyes on the river ahead. ”Keep them off us if you wouldn’t mind!”
Quistis was trying to keep her energy up, but she felt the edges of her sight blurring again. For a moment, she saw that white plane again of nonexistence, before returning to this lush green nature of the enemies. Shaking her head clear, she seemed a bit surprised to see a zombie so close to her. Even more surprised to see a foot just drive into its skull right in front of her. She watched in a slight daze for a moment, before remembering that was the help she called for. She gave a teacher’s hum of approval at Zell’s actions.
Her whip cracked and another zombie lost its arm and balance. But it was becoming apparent they were outnumbered and would soon be overwhelmed. Another gunshot rang out, tearing her attention once more away from the enemies at hand and toward the boat. She had no arguments in retreating. She was not getting paid to solve this problem, and she was in no condition to keep up at this pace. But she was not going to leave Zell behind. She had thought she lost everyone after her tumble through time and space. It was a relief to see that was not the case.
“Retreat, now! I’ll cover you.” She turned tail to run into the river. She felt the cold-water seep into her boots and soak into the hem of her dress. Nearly slipping on the wet rocks, she waded through the water. She fought against the current and she eventually made it to the boat and pulled herself up onto its deck. She turned to face the zombie threat and her eyes glowed. She threw her arms wide again, and out of thin air magical bullets materialized around her. At her silent command, the bullets zoomed past her and struck at the zombies behind Zell.
[attr="class","kdahdr"] Alright, partner. You know what time it is!
[attr="class","kdatxtgrad"]
[attr="class","kdatxtbox"]
[attr="class","kdatxt"]
The retreat was sounded and Balthier prepared the ship for their escape. Meanwhile, Zell remained behind for a moment longer to allow the female they saved to escape. As two more undead approached, Zell was prepared to strike. The first one caught a mighty hook from his fist, which detached its jaw entirely before collapsing. The air boomed again from Balthier's gun which struck the other approaching ghoul in the head. The immediate vicinity was now clear, allowing Zell to turn and return to the vessel.
As he waded through the water, Zell caught sight of the woman's eyes illuminating. He could sense a powerful ability looming and made a dive into the water to get out of her way. A flash followed and Zell could see projectiles racing past his position from beneath the water's surface that raced towards the other ghouls. Like the others, they too fell.
As he reached the vessel, Zell pulled himself back onboard. He was now soaking wet from the encounter with the undead, making it rather uncomfortable for him to move around on the deck of the ship. He shook off the water like a wet dog as Balthier began the engine and took off back down the river. Their rescue was successful and now their crew had an additional member on board. They were fairly safe from the threats of the dead, at least for now.
Zell took this moment to try and remember why this woman seemed so familiar. The blonde hair, the red dress, and even her voice kept striking his mind. And yet, none of it could clear the fog that kept his memories hidden. It was bothersome, but he couldn't let his frustration show. After all, none of this was her fault and Zell had no right to take it out on her.
"Well," he said, slushing to one section of the boat to prevent his wet mess from spreading all over the deck, "that was interesting." Zell turned towards the woman in their presence and gave a smile. "This is a pretty dangerous place for someone to get lost. You were almost fish food, lady. "
The boat hit a wave that sent the deck bucking. Balthier steadied the wheel, glancing behind to make sure he hadn’t lost his charges. The underbrush around them rustled with clumsy motions. Ahead, he saw the ghastly faces of the dead peering out like fetid moons. Their fight hadn’t exactly been subtle, and the local residents had taken notice.
The other two were soaked in muddied water that hung heavy from their waists. Zell had chosen to shake himself out (Balthier’s nose wrinkled as the sour mist specked his cheeks) before turning to the woman. A dangerous place to get lost indeed.
”Keep sharp,” he said. ”We’re not out of the woods yet.” Balthier revved the engine harder, thrusting them past the growing crowds of cold bodies. The dead were gathering ahead of them now -- far enough ahead that they’d already made it to the banks. If they reached the water, they’d clog the river and trap them in the swarm. Time was of the essence, and they hadn't any to spare.
His engine sputtered.
The loose bolt. He could have kicked himself for ignoring it. He’d fix it when he had the chance? Careless of him. Ahead, he caught a sharp bend dashed with rocks and refuse. A choking point. Already, stumbling arms stretched for the river from three sides. The turn wasn’t safe to make at a high speed. One slip, and they’d sooner dash against the stone, but a second lost and they’d meet a fiendish blockade.
Balthier’s grip tightened on the wheel. What was life without a gamble?
”Hold tight now!” He steadied himself and pushed the engine to its max. They shot forward, bouncing atop the river’s current as the wind struck his cheeks and the seconds counted down to disaster. One. The bodies reached the water, wading with gnashing teeth. Two. The sheer wall sped towards them with alarming solidity. Three. Balthier cut the engine, grit his teeth, and jerked the wheel sideways.
The boat drifted. Hard. It nearly flipped sideways as the momentum caught and its edge clipped an outstretched arm. As soon as they’d cleared the turn, Balthier thrust the engine on again and they shot forward, its back edge scraping the wall as he righted their course -- swerving first towards one bank and then the other. The engine turned. The gears ground together with a low whine, but he kept it running. Gears he could repair. Lives -- not so easily.
With the turn made, the ghastly faces faded behind them. Balthier hummed a breath he hadn’t been holding as he slowed them to half speed. Still, the engine whine. They made it only a short while longer before it sputtered, clicked, and gave one last dying heave. With its power lost, the boat drifted to a slow stop. Once it had finished, Balthier turned to face the other two, leaning back in his seat as he tilted his head.
”Well then,” he said. ”I’d say introductions are in order.”
Quistis did what she could to keep them off Zell. And when she found she had tapped out of her blue magic, she mustered what strength she could to wield the sharpness of her whip. She balanced herself against the guard rail with one hand. A loud crack of the whip kept a final zombie at bay as it tore its softened head from its body to be swept away by the current. She knelt on one knee and reached out to help the wet Zell get on the boat without slipping. She tugged at one of his arms and tried to keep her feet from slipping across the now wet deck.
Once the excitement had passed, she partially collapsed onto a set of boxes along the deck. She found she was trying to catch her breath and suddenly found herself to be extremely fatigued. Seeing Zell shake himself out, she couldn’t help but give a slight smile. She was appreciating seeing a familiar face. At least, she was until he talked to her like she was unfamiliar. ‘Dangerous place to get lost’. ‘Lady.’ She just saw him on the other plane of existence. Or whatever time and space phenomenon went on.
If she could be honest with herself, she felt hurt that she was forgotten so easily. Was she really not that notable of a person? Did the people she fought to protect, not really view her as someone to even recognize?
She swallowed the lump in her throat and stared at the wet wood beneath her soaked boots. Come on Quistis, get it together. There had to be a logical explanation. They all suffered amnesia before… Maybe something happened to make him forget? She crossed her arms over her chest as she tried to think about the best way to handle this situation.
But she would not be given much of a moment to think. She heard Balthier’s warning and she barely had a chance to hold on to anything. She tried to grip the edges of the box she sat upon. Unfortunately, with wet boots and not enough grip, the angle of the boat sent her toppling along the deck. She slid along, until she hit the guard rails of the boat unceremoniously. She gave a slight groan, her heart racing. For a moment, she was unsure if they made it and she was holding her breath with her eyes closed. She braced for an impact that luckily never occurred.
Once the boat leveled out and drifted, she looked up to see Balthier looking back at them. She cleared her throat and managed to get to a sitting position. She was trying to maintain some level of dignity. She decided to remain seated on the ground, since standing and moving about seemed too much for her currently. “Of course. My name is Quistis Trepe. I suppose I owe you two my life. Thank you.” She gave a slight bow of the shoulders and lowered her head in thanks. “And, you are?”
[attr="class","kdahdr"] Alright, partner. You know what time it is!
[attr="class","kdatxtgrad"]
[attr="class","kdatxtbox"]
[attr="class","kdatxt"]
Balthier sure knew how to punch it in a sticky situation. Their vessel rocked and twisted with the sky pirate behind the wheel and Zell had no choice but too cling to a railing. He did not want to be thrown overboard. It was now that the SeeD experienced a mix of emotion. Like any normal person, there was some legitimate fear of being ejected from the water craft. But on the other hand, it was quite exciting. Zell caught a grin forming on his face, but soon suppressed it. Surely the others wouldn't be too happy if he was having some fun with all of this chaos.
After the boat finally settled down and the engine cut itself off, Zell released himself from the rails and let out a few huffs. His eyes shifted between the other two onboard after hearing Balthier's request for introductions. Zell would have protested given what had just happened to them, but the spot that the vessel stalled out at seemed isolated enough that the undead should not be able to wade through such deep water. Can the dead even swim he pondered as the woman shared her name.
"Wait," he said, stopping her after she asked for Balthier's name in return. "You said... Quistis?" Confusion took hold of the blonde male once more as he turned away. The woman's familiarity continued to pry into his mind as if it was trying to open those tightly locked memories of his. A dull pain followed and Zell's hand came up to rub his forehead. "I know that name. I 'm sure of it."
Another sigh followed before he quickly turned back in Quistis's direction and approached her. "Do you know me? Or where I'm from?" There was some urgency in Zell's voice as he pleased with her for answers. "I don't remember much besides waking up here. I've tried so hard to figure this out and it's killing me." It was a long shot, but that hunch of their past being intertwined was the only thing left for him to go on at this point. Desperation was taking hold.
While his companions had heeded his words to brace themselves, it hadn’t been without difficulty. The woman pushed herself unsteadily from the boat’s deck. The boy slowly unclenched himself from the guard rail. They weren’t ones for daring escapes, it seemed, though he supposed he couldn't blame them. It had taken Balthier years to build an apathy for risking his own life.
The woman gathered herself with some level of respect, choosing to remain sitting rather than risk losing her balance. Her name was Quistis, and she thanked him with the demeanor of a noblewoman despite her common affects. Balthier raised his eyebrows with a slight tilt of his head. He’d dare say she’d caught his interest.
Zell stole the conversation before Balthier could answer, and he shook his head instead, standing and heading to the back of the boat while he had his chance. It seemed they knew each other, and Balthier had no desire to muddy their reunion. Instead, he crouched at the engine and inspected it with a sharp eye. The bolt was gone completely. The gears around it were damaged, and the metal was warped. All in all, their prospects were in a sorry state, but he couldn’t say it hadn’t done its job. His helmsmanship had been excellent if he could say so himself.
The boy had amnesia. There was desperation in his voice as he begged the woman for answers, and she would doubtlessly offer them in return. Balthier leaned in closer to his work, tilting his head in thought as he touched the heated metal. A few replaced parts wouldn’t do it. He’d pushed the vessel to her limits and then blown past them entirely. He pulled his hand back and shook out the burn.
”If I might interrupt.” Balthier stood and turned to face them. ”It seems our little spat has paid its toll. We’ll have to continue on foot, I’m afraid.” A dangerous prospect, but it was better than sitting still. Repairing the engine would take a day at least, and that was assuming he could manage with the tools he’d brought along.
The woods rustled with sound. Leaves, birds, and something else, he thought, lurking in the cover of the trees. It wouldn’t do to linger.
He started towards the hold and gathered his tools, his rations, and his supplies into a bag that he slung over his shoulder. With that done, he started past them, pausing only to glance in the woman’s direction. ”It’s Balthier,” he said before continuing on his way. He hopped into the murky shallows and made his way to the bank to wait for them.
”Let’s be on our way. We have scant time before nightfall.”
Quistis turned to Zell and raised a brow. She felt her hopes raise that maybe her first thoughts of him forgetting her was an overreaction. But it seemed he had simply forgot, at least to some extent. She saw the frustration well in him, and she was quick to reach out a comforting hand to place on his shoulder. It was to let him know she was not going anywhere. She would do what she could to help.
She looked him directly in the eyes and searched for a moment, “I believe I do know you…Zell Dincht.” She waited for a reaction, “Your home is in Balamb Town, where your parents reside. And I used to be your teacher at Balamb Garden, before…” Well before she was fired for not having certain qualities they wanted in faculty, “…we began to work together in SeeD.” That seemed enough for now. She hoped this was all correct speculation, or else she just found someone who looked like Zell. But how many people had the same look and tattoos as him? She knew in her gut she was right.
She had noticed Balthier gauge the situation and instead of interrupting them, he left to go inspect the issues with the engine. Quistis felt tempted to go assist him, but she knew Zell needed someone right now. “For now, just focus on moving forward. I am sure there is a rational explanation for all of this.” Now if she could figure out what that explanation entailed.
She turned to look up at Balthier as he interjected. As he spoke, her eyes turned to the engine, and she wondered if it would even help if she looked at it too. But it seemed the man knew what he was talking about. She gave a soft exhalation as she rose back to her feet. She felt exhausted and the fact they would be walking made her hope she had the energy to do so. She was not really one to complain or direct attention to herself without needing to. With a slight tilt of her head, she encouraged Zell to follow.
Quistis had nothing on her except the clothes on her back, so she simply jumped back into the river’s edge, feeling her boots sink into the muck. She gave Balthier a tired smile and a nod. “So…Balthier where exactly is our way? Where were you two love birds heading?” She was trying to put humor in the hummed words to lighten the situation. It was hard to be good spirited when your boots squished. The forest was lush and thriving with green flora. She could see dear upstream, that seemed alert at their presence. As she walked into the trees, she felt herself take a deep breath in. The fresh air felt nice, and it would help her be grounded in her situation. “Do you have any thing onboard you need help carrying?”
[attr="class","kdahdr"] Alright, partner. You know what time it is!
[attr="class","kdatxtgrad"]
[attr="class","kdatxtbox"]
[attr="class","kdatxt"]
The reply Quistis gave him was more than satisfying for the young blonde. Zell had held his breath while his instructor spoke and when she was finished, he let out a sigh of relief. Despite his memories not immediately returning to him, Zell could feel that she was being truthful to him. Balamb, his family, and his employment; it all made sense to him. Zell now knew why he could fight as well as he did and why he so desperately wanted to go back home. His parents must have been worried sick.
"That's amazing." He was surprisingly calm given the circumstances. Months of searching for answers led him to this moment where he finally learned more about his past. And despite their circumstances with the boat, Zell was very happy. "Thank you. So much!"
Due to Balthier's urgency to abandon ship, Zell followed the others as they dismounted into the waters once again. And like before, he became soaking wet. Swimming didn't bother the SeeD , it was the quality of water that he was in. The beaches of the Pale Coast were much different than the murky and odd smelling water the swamps. Even the mud beneath his boots squished and molded around his footsteps. Zell thought it was pretty nasty, but he chose not to verbally complain.
While he was focused on trying to maintain his balance and keep up with the group, Quistis cracked a joke about him and Balthier being lovebirds. "What?! No! We're not--" He wobbled to the side as his foot stuck in place, almost falling over completely into the swampy water. Luckily, his foot worked itself loose and he was able to regain control of his balance. A few huffs came from the irritated SeeD, but he ignored her comment to answer the followup question. "We're going to the Crystalus Divide," he stated after clearing his throat and continuing forward through the water. "Surely the people there know why we're here. And more importantly, how to get back home."
