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| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/SixthMovement|Sixth Movement]]
| + | #REDIRECT ADanceOfAngels |
| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/DanceOfAngels|A Dance of Angels]]
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| − | | |
| − | == Dance in Obsidian ==
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| − | | |
| − | '''Alexander: ''' Late afternoon....
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| − | | |
| − | In his room, the prince finishes getting dressed - not too differently from last night, a similar white coat, but one without the diamonds; Theshirt below a little siimpler, more comfortable, the coattails not sporting any gold anymore. His hair glittering a little less as it dries, but his appearance no less wondrous than it... ''always'' is.
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| − | Kanti had been a good servant for this time - she warmed his water, she got him his clothes, she took his food to him, and asked if she could eat with him - what she could. And now, he was almost ready, and waiting for her to show up... 'in anything that makes you feel elegant and comfortable' the Prince had asked...
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| − | | |
| − | And as she goes in, she can see him looking up the window, waiting...
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| − | | |
| − | '''Kanti: ''' Kanti is clad in her robe of screams, the fabric of blood red hues clinging to her figure and revealing far more than anything she has worn recently to all that look upon her, swirls of black scar vanishing beneath them and reappearing. Around her neck, the red jade collar shines in the light coming in from the window, except the places the soulsteel crosses it.
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| − | ''I fear I am niether elegant nor comfortable, my prince. ''<br>
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| − | ''and yet...I could not think what else to wear... ''
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| − | Her hair is still tied with the same red roses the prince watched being placed there during the morning, the long tails brushed until they almost gleam. She drops into a courtsey as she gets close to him.
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| − | "I am here, my prince. Does my attire meet with your approval?" her voice holding a hint of a nervous tremour as she asks.
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| − | '''Alexander: ''' He turns to look at her, and the light - that strong gold of the approaching twilight - floods the room behind him, making him a golden-lined sillhouette. He watches her.... her hair bringing the images again... of how it was laced... how Shaliya... had helped Kanti...
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| − | | |
| − | He watches her, and a sillhouette in a dark golden filter smiles. "You meet my approval, yes."
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| − | The ceremony, the ritual. The things of nobility, of royalty, that should be mantained. Part of why he is going... "When we go to meet Iron Tears," He says, walking closer to her, "We will perform a proper ceremony for you to swear your servitude, with a divinity as a witness. Is there anything you wish for it? I... am not sure I know all of your customs..."
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| − | | |
| − | '''Kanti: ''' Kanti smiles, still maintaining the courtsey as he gives her his approval.
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| − | | |
| − | ''he approves! ''
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| − | | |
| − | "Thank you, my prince."
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| − | ''A ceremony. ''<br>
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| − | ''one where I swear to him. ''<br>
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| − | ''what would would I wish for it? ''<br>
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| − | ''I cannot claim to be a Knight any more. ''<br>
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| − | ''I... ''
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| − | | |
| − | "I cannot think of anything, my prince." She says, looking up at the sillhouette frindged with gold. "I am sure your words will be appropriate."
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| − | | |
| − | '''Alexander: ''' "Well... I will try. I will use something like the words I was made to say for Otieno. You are a bit like him... southern, here to protect me. Well, the similarities stop there, of course." He giggles, then points at something on the window. A script, slowly vanishing into Iron Dust.... "He asked to meet us close to the Clock Tower, I can fly you there..."
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| − | | |
| − | "Unless you have any problems with it?"
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| − | | |
| − | "Oh, and... could you move your room to the one next to mine? Would make things more... practical."
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| − | | |
| − | '''Kanti: ''' ''not into his room ... ''<br>
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| − | ''but...that is good. ''<br>
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| − | ''I've never lived in master's room before. ''<br>
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| − | ''I wonder how long I will stay in there... ''
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| − | | |
| − | "Of course my prince. I will speak to the house staff when we return and move then." she bows her head.
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| − | | |
| − | When she raises it again, she gives the merest shake of her head.
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| − | | |
| − | "I have no problems with being flown, my prince, especially if it is your desire."
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| − | | |
| − | '''Alexander: ''' He opens the windows then, offering the hand to her as if it were a dance. With her hand on his', he steps out, unfurling his wings... and pushing her to him. Making sure the dress did not touch on him, his hand touching over her skin...
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| − | | |
| − | And it was so easy! To handle her... to touch her. It felt strange to touch her.... warm, so warm, and yet, the scars.... her. She made everything be strange. It was like all moral disappeared, all the world disappeared, and the only morals in the world were those Alex cold hold on to. Because he could do anything, she would allow anything she wanted anything... and she...
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| − | | |
| − | He noticed why. The scars.
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| − | | |
| − | With a sigh, closing his eyes for a moment, the light of twin amethysts no more shining on her, he flapped his wings, and they were flying above the Boil...
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| − | | |
| − | ... and touching down on the rooftop of a place close to the Clock Tower. A tall building of six stores, one of the tallest buildings on the Boil, unfortunately dwarfed by the tower close to it. He set Kanti there... and watched.
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| − | The devastation, the places broken, burnt, the places where the Exalted razed buildings, threw them on each other, where Thaumathurges and Alchemists used bombs to blow buildings on top of demons... where trhey fought a war. "This... this was..."
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| − | | |
| − | '''Kanti: ''' Kanti makes no sounds of protest as his hands settle on her skin, letting him bear her aloft, looking up at his face.
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| − | | |
| − | ''I make him sigh... ''<br>
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| − | ''I worry him even when I sit in his arms... ''
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| − | | |
| − | Then he sets her down, and she stands beside him, looking out over the city, at its wrecks and ruins.
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| − | | |
| − | "This was a city once, my prince. I am sure you will see it become a city once again."
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| − | | |
| − | '''Iron Tears: ''' "Its roots run strong, yes. Very, very strong indeed."
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| − | | |
| − | "And for every building burnt, a spirit was strenghtened, so... we might rise as something greater, this time. Stronger."
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| − | | |
| − | The voice comes from nowhere, at first. The voice like the clang of hammer on iron. And then, a collection of dust rises... and under the golden light of the sunset, under some godly alchemy, become as iron, forming an apparition of a form...
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| − | | |
| − | "Hello, Prince Alexander."
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| − | '''Kanti: ''' Kanti drops into a courtsey beside the prince, her hair stopping just above the grim that capped the building.
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| − | | |
| − | "Good Afternoon, my lord Iron Tears." she says softly, and bows her head, not rising just yet.
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| − | '''Alexander: ''' A courtesy to a god, relieved by their words. It was always a hard sight to take in, but stil.
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| − | | |
| − | "Lord Iron Tears! You have shed your coproreal form, already?"
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| − | '''Iron Tears: ''' "Kanti. I trust you have been treated well?" He asks, a very diplomatic question.
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| − | | |
| − | "And yes, I could only hold it until after the party... the loss of Snow Owl has been harsh, and as it is now, it will not work until I have its gem..."
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| − | | |
| − | "But I do not intend to bore you with the intrincacies of divine existence. Why have you called me, boy?"
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| − | | |
| − | '''Kanti: ''' ''have I been treated well? ''<br>
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| − | ''he has lain with me... ''<br>
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| − | ''he has hurt me.. ''<br>
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| − | ''I have served him.. ''<br>
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| − | ''I have hurt him... ''<br>
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| − | ''he argued for me... ''
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| − | | |
| − | "I have been treated very well, my Lord Iron Tears. Thank you for your concern." she speaks from her bowed position, raising her head just to speak with him.
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| − | | |
| − | '''Alexander: ''' "Quite a few things, Iron God. The first one would be to serve as a witness."
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| − | | |
| − | He smiles as she speaks. It warms him... even though she would never say otherwise. He does not stop to think about it... "I have asked the Dark Angel for Kanti's services, and have been granted such... but I would like it official. You would serve as a witness to her oaths, I would hope?"
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| − | | |
| − | '''Iron Tears: ''' "I would have no problem with it, no, as long as you treat her well."
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| − | | |
| − | "I just hope that is not all you took my time for."
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| − | | |
| − | '''Alexander: ''' "Not really; I have some things to ask and requests to make of you, but we can do those later. For now..."
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| − | | |
| − | Alex walks in front of Kanti... "Ready, Kanti?"
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| − | | |
| − | '''Kanti: '''Kanti moves from the courtsey, twisting her legs to smoothly kneel before him in the grimey dust of the rooftop, looking up at the Prince and the god.
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| − | | |
| − | "Yes, my prince."
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| − | | |
| − | * The prince walks in front of her, his hand on her brow...<br><br>... and then... <br><br>The earth shakes.<br><br>Once, and Iron Tears quivers.<br>Twice, and the iron god trembles.<br><br>Something rushes past with the sound of a thunder.<br><br>At the gates, at the wall, dust flies up, very high up.<br><br>The god begins... speaking.<br><br>"Flying... flying... ten.. twenty... forty... forty people... so fast..."<br><br>There is a sound. Like a roar, at the gates...
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| − | '''Kanti: ''' ''...what's happening...? ''<br>
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| − | ''what's going on? ''<br>
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| − | ''An attack...so soon? ''
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| − | | |
| − | "My Prince? my lord Iron Tears, what is happening?"
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| − | | |
| − | '''Iron Tears: ''' "Shadows."
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| − | | |
| − | "They broke in. They broke in..." He spoke, in a ragged breath, as if something on them hurt him by their very existence...
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| − | | |
| − | "And they are killing. They are killing... many of them, so many of them. Each is powerful..."
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| − | | |
| − | '''Alexander: ''' Alexander's hand is on Kanti's then.
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| − | A kick to the ground, and he flies high, calling to Iron Tears, "Call... anyone, whover you can!"
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| − | | |
| − | "We are going!"
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| − | | |
| − | He forgot to ask Kanti. He does not seem to notice.
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| − | | |
| − | * The voice was thunderous, like the howl of an ancient, powerful beast.<br><br>The screams filled the air, and Kanti could feel the scent of blood.<br><br>They came closer... and saw the Hungry Ghosts. Malformed, mismatched, some weak, some powerful. Able to rend flesh without slowing, able to go through buildings chasing prey. As they did.<br><br>Behind them, there were the Soulbranders. Clad in copper plates, runed with symbols of necromancy which Kanti knew... depicting curse, ownership, slavery, and death. She knew them, for they were lesser versions of what lay etched on her skin. But on her, they served to countain her - on them, it was their weapon, together with the chains held in their fighting gauntlets - the weapon they used to hold the Hungry Ghosts on their thrall.<br><br>Alex soared a bit higher, a bit closer... and she saw the Souleaters. Crimson-Armored, with masks of quicksilver that bear no eyes, only sharp, mismatched teeth, they ran around like pack animals, long claws on their hands, jumping on the few armed people that dared to come close... and rending them, together with their own essence.<br><br>And up the wall, she saw the Soulhunters. Masked with gold, cloaked in white, and holding bows. On that moment, the ten of them nocked their arrows in unison. They flew.<br><br>Twenty people died.<br><br>And then, behind them, the monster. Eight feet tall, clad in Black Jade, a monster that seemed more like a rough sculpture of a lizard, blocky, than a man... howling, a Goremaul in each hand, and giving them their sentence... "'''People of the Boil. We have given you peace. We have given you a chance. You spat on our offer. We have come to show the other face. This is divine punishment, sinners. Burn in our divine punishment! '''"<br><br>Obsidian, the Lord Enforcer of the Dead Hand.<br>He loved his job.<br><br>And he would make the city repent... if he has to burn it to the ground for it.
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| − | | |
| − | '''Alexander: ''' Alex watches... the figures. Those who hunted him long before. Those who beat him long before. Those that took him and the Angels... and the monster, the monster who beat the Pale Angel... Alexander gasps, holding Kanti more tightly.
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| − | His mind begun to race. They needed help, they needed... help? Iron Tears was incorporeal, and the Souleaters would take the little divine essence he had left... the others were gone... Hanna was sleeping... Moon was hurt... and Iria had ten people at best who could compare to those. They were not like normal ghosts. And...
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| − | | |
| − | ... and every moment they waited saw twenty more people dead.
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| − | | |
| − | "Kanti... this is on us..."
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| − | | |
| − | '''Kanti: ''' Kanti saw the oncoming fiends, and she feared.<br>
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| − | Kanti saw the oncoming fiends, and she trembled.<br>
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| − | Kanti saw the oncoming fiends, and she quaked.<br>
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| − | Kanti looked out at the invincible fury of the dead, at the all consuming hunger of those who did not love, and she was terrified.<br>
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| − | ''The Void has come for me. ''<br>
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| − | ''"Kanti ... this is on us..." ''<br>
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| − | ''My prince is relying on me. ''<br>
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| − | ''My lady is relying on me. ''<br>
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| − | ''Moon is relying on me. ''<br>
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| − | ''The Boil is relying on me. ''<br>
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| − | ''...and My prince... ''<br>
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| − | ''I do not face the Void alone. ''<br>
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| − | '''''I do not face the Void alone! '''''<br>
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| − | She speaks with a bravery that is not entirely hers.<br>
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| − | "Then set me down, my prince. I cannot burn you in my preparations."
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| − | '''Alexander: ''' He swoops back, landing to the end of the main street.... and Kanti can see the shattered gates of the Boil.
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| − | And she can see them in the distance. And pehaps they can see her, but they will not be there fast enough, and far from the range of the bows.
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| − | Alexander paces in front of her. He begins to glow, bright... light crackling around him.<br>His aura.<br>Warmth, heat, sun, righteousness, burning.<br>What burnt her in passing, and would consume them. 'You tell me as soon as you are ready."
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| − |
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| − | '''Kanti: ''' First, her skin began glow, with the glory of the Dragons at the birth of the world.<br>
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| − | Second, her skin went crimson, the flames wrapping around her briefly, before vanishing.<br>
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| − | Third, she attained the beautific pose, and all who thought of harming her dispaired.<br>
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| − | Fourth, brilliant white irises appeared at her feet.<br>
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| − | Fifth, those same irises flashed across her eyes and above her the garda bird shrieked in it's chains.<br>
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| − | Sixth, and the Fragrant Incense Spear appeared in her hands in a swirl of scent.<br>
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| − | Seventh, the end of the cycle, the viridian light shone from her body, and so she was the cycle complete.<br>
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| − | "I am ready, my prince."
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| − | '''Alexander: ''' He takes the stance of a warrior. A pillar, ready in all directions for any attacks. Like she had taught him, his lady. And he watched her. Kanti's preparation... was beautiful. "Kanti... I will be up there. I will be looking out for you."
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| − | ''Please.. do not die. ''
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| − | He was scared, but what could he do?
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| − | He took to the skies... and towards them!
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| − | '''Kanti: ''' Kanti watched her prince take off, and then she turned back to the oncoming dead. <br>
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| − | She ran, and her footsteps trailed fire on the cobbles.<br>
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| − | She ran, and her footsteps trailed flowers into the sky.<br>
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| − | She ran, and her footsteps moved in the rhythm of the greatest dance of them all.<br>
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| − | And then she was amidst them, crimson skin burning in the centre of crimson plate, crimson blade carving out paths through the crimson flames.<br>
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| − | Viridian light comes through the crimson as they hit.<br>
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| − | Her eyes lift to face those of Obsidean, and just for a moment, she does not tremble.
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| − | "You have no idea what divinity means."<br>
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| − | ''I am a Knight of Heaven. ''<br>
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| − | ''I will show you. ''
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| − | | |
| − | '''Alexander: ''' As she touches each and every one of them, they are covered in Viridian light... and their bodies tumble, consumed by it, devoid of the spirits.... at the same time as the Prince soars towards the Soulhunters, letting go of Ainerach... and having it fall on the wall with the strength of a thunder.
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| − | It explodes in light and fire, and one Soulhunter is no more.
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| − | | |
| − | "False white, false gold, I told you to not wear that near me anymore..."
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| − | "This place is under our protection."
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| − |
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| − | '''Obsidian: ''' He watches as the part of the wall explodes, debris falling everywhere, and yet, the Soulhunter, burning, still clutches to his life.. Obsidian laughs as he sees the boy. "'''Boy. You escaped the weakest of us, with the help of the Angels. You think you can stop ''me'' with the help of that Dragoness? '''"
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| − | "'''You are already dead. Just in the way of our divine punishment. '''"
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| − | '''Alexander: ''' "I am not the one I was before, monster."
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| − | “The Pale Angel hammered my blade into perfection. And your ilk tempered it.”
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| − | | |
| − | "And Kanti?"
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| − | | |
| − | “You think you have a chance?”
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| − | | |
| − | "She is Heaven."
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| − | '''SoulHunters: ''' The Soulhunters say nothing. They just draw their arrows - even the one burning - and point them. A barrage of ten arrows come towards the prince...
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| − | '''Alexander: ''' He makes a sweeping movement, and ten arrows are led away. One cuts his face, lightly, a near-miss.
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| − | | |
| − | "I told you. I am not the one you used to hunt."
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| − | '''SoulEaters: ''' All of the Soulhunters - the six around Kanti - placed their claws on the ground. There, they took energy from the Boil. Essence. Crackling around them, stolen essence of fire and iron... and then, four struck... together with one of the biggest, most mountrous Hungry Ghosts, that strikes with long, arm-long claws of pyre flame!
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| − | | |
| − | All the rest continue... the hungry ghosts spreading on the city, breaking down nearby buildings... but Kanti called for their attention. They begin to make a circle around Kanti... surrounded by Nemessaries and Hungry Ghosts, a little spot of saintly flame amidst the Abyss....
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| − |
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| − | '''Kanti: ''' Kanti closed her eyes, the beautific saint that could not be harmed, least all Creation retaliate, and even the dead found her innocence too much to bear, their weak strikes easily warded by the spear.<br>
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| − | ''The wheel turns''<br>
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| − | A girl dances on a summers day, and gestures at the first of the eaters.<br>
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| − | ''The wheel turns''<br>
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| − | A boy jumps over a river, and his foot hits the second of the eaters.<br>
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| − | ''The wheel turns''<br>
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| − | A man takes up his sword for the first time, and strikes at the third eater.<br>
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| − | ''The wheel turns''<br>
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| − | A mother grasps her babe, holding out her hand to the fourth eater.<br>
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| − | ''The wheel turns''<br>
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| − | The man is weathered, old and experienced. His strike on the fifth eater is true.<br>
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| − | '''The wheel turns''<br>
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| − | An old lady takes up her cane, and strikes at the 6th of the eaters.<br>
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| − | ''The wheel turns''<br>
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| − | The fragant incense spear thrusts through the seventh eater.<br>
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| − | ''Another turn of the cycle is complete''
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| − | | |
| − | '''Obsidian: ''' Obsidian watches.
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| − | | |
| − | Awed.
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| − | The monster saw how she danced, the monster saw how she was many, many lives... and how she took them off. He could feel it, bringing fear as much as looking to the boy. He could feel that it was unlike the strikes they would survive. She took out ten of thirty, she took out ten of the thirty SoulEaters...
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| − | | |
| − | ... the boy was right, he realises, gritting his teeth.<br>
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| − | The boy was right.<br>
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| − | She is divine punishment.
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| − | | |
| − | '''Kanti: ''' Kanti sweeps her spear around as the last of the soul eaters fall before her.
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| − | | |
| − | "Know you now that each of you that falls to me today will return to the cycle, to whatever judgement awaits you before your next life."
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| − | | |
| − | "Oblivion cannot touch the place you will be going."
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| − | | |
| − | ''I am a Knight of the Cycle. ''<br>
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| − | ''I will send you on. ''
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| − | | |
| − | The Garda Bird claws in flames!
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| − |
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| − | '''SoulBranders: ''' Around her, the Soulbranders feel the burning, and two lesser Hungry Ghost vanishes into nothingness, consumed by her flames. But then, the Soulbranders call, and the Hungry Ghosts begin to climb the walls.
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| − | | |
| − | Five of them, greater than most, the souls of powerful, powerful beings. Monsters climbing the walls around them... as the two remaining Hungry Ghosts of that level, along with three of the Soulbranders, close the Circle around Kanti once again...
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| − | | |
| − | Claws of Pyre-Flame, and three chains come fast, very very fast in Kanti's direction...
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| − | | |
| − | '''SoulHunters: ''' At the same time, five of the ten bows turn to a more immediate target... Kanti.
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| − | | |
| − | Five arrows come in her direction, as five come towards the prince...
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| − |
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| − | '''Alexander: ''' The Prince. Who closes his eyes....
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| − | | |
| − | And lets six wings spread. A clarion is heard as the light pours from him... and he looks down at them, disapprovingly. And his disapproval is enough to turn the arrows away, wings spread, without having to move. "Divine Punishment has come, indeed."
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| − |
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| − | '''Kanti: ''' Kanti does not pay the Hunters any heed. While they remained beyond her reach, their attacks were as nothing. Even bound up in it's chains, the Garda Bird could claw aside their petty attacks, arrows turning to ash that swirled in the bonfire.
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| − | | |
| − | Standing in the middle of the circle of the dead, Kanti once more calls on Creation to witness the crimes they commit.
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| − | | |
| − | Standing in the middle of the circle of the dead, Kanti once more moves the spear through the fivefold motions of a dragon's defence.
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| − | | |
| − | Standing in the middle of the circle of the dead, Kanti is undaunted.
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| − | | |
| − | '''Alexander: ''' Alexander flies foward.... his extra four wings burning behind him, giving him impulse, giving him speed... he had glided up at every moment, before, and now, soars down like a hawk, closing on his prey.... burning his new wings, and making feathers rain down on those beneath him...
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| − | | |
| − | And he falls over the wall, over one of the Soulhunters, with an impact so strong the dust reaches out ten meters on the air. And he comes from there, crackling with light, swinging Ainerach and cutting them down in righteous fury!
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| − |
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| − | '''Kanti: ''' In the barehanded style, these would be open palmed strikes.<br>
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| − | With the Fragrant Incense Spear, she strikes with the flat of the blade.<br>
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| − | Each strike is swift.<br>
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| − | Each strike is flawless<br>
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| − | Each strike is cold.<br>
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| − | It is a rebuke that breaks a small part of Kanti's heart to perform, but she has a deep need to do so, and so she does.<br>
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| − | A hungry ghost flies off towards the Fire.<br>
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| − | A hungry ghost flies off towards the Water.<br>
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| − | A hungry ghost flies off towards the Wood.<br>
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| − | A hungry ghost flies off towards the Air. <br>
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| − | ''Fourfold Alabaster Strike. ''
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| − |
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| − | * Her movement is sure, and they are thrown towards the Hungry Ghosts in the roofs... sending eight Hungry Ghosts crashing on the streets behind, out of comission for the time being.
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| − | | |
| − | There was no sunlight before, at this time of twilight; But now the orange vanishes from the sky, and her flames seem to burn all that much brighter....
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| − | | |
| − | '''Alexander: ''' The prince moves, Ainerach in hand... and two enemies hurt around him. Once again, he moves to cut them down, to stop them from hurting anyone else. In the broken walkway of the wall, he tries to stop them.... before they can take out their blades.
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| − |
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| − | '''SoulBranders: ''' At the same time that the Soul Branders circle around Kanti.... they felt the green glow take the Hungry Ghosts. Lower souls of heroes, brimming with Essence, able to rent steel... they would stand atop the buildings, raining pyre-flame on the fire aspect. But now... now their best souls were consumed. It was just them... just the ten of them... and the Garda Bird.
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| − | | |
| − | Five of them took a step back. Five of them jumped on her, with gauntlet and chain!
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| − |
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| − | '''Alexander: ''' He was surrounded by enemies. Totally, completely surrounded.
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| − | | |
| − | And they were good. The SoulHunters were very, very good....
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| − | | |
| − | So he did what he could. Against four directions, his blade came to stop them.
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| − | And against the fifth, His disapproving look pushed the enemy away. This would not do.
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| − |
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| − | '''Kanti: ''' Five of them lept forward.<br>
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| − | Five of them lept toward.<br>
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| − | Five times Creation bore witness<br>
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| − | Five times Jade met chain.<br>
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| − | Fives times she stood unscathed.<br>
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| − |
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| − | '''Obsidian: '''He watched. He watched how she killed ten Souleaters, how she destroyed eight of their best Hungry Ghosts...
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| − | | |
| − | The earth came to him, with rumble, detaching from the ground and becoming his armor, darkening the color of the void as it joined Soul Hide, his Black Jade armor.
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| − | | |
| − | He would have to intervene.
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| − | | |
| − | '''Kanti: ''' ''So, you know the style of the dragons of Jade? ''<br>
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| − | ''I will have to hit hard then. ''<br>
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| − | ''But not yet. ''<br>
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| − | Ribbons of flame and incense trailed from Kanti as she flipped over the ghosts surrounding her, twin iris bursts as she landed in a innocent stance, spear held on the pure defence just for an instant.
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| − | | |
| − | Then the tempo changes again, the blade of the spear cutting a path through the flames that surround her, the haft spinning in her hands as she fought a defensive, goading style, pulling the Branders away from their leader.<br>
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| − | Pulling them away.<br>
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| − | Sending them away.<br>
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| − | Lethe awaits.<br>
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| − | | |
| − | '''Alexander: ''' ''For Amaranthyne, for Cetari, for my Sisters and My Lady. ''
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| − | | |
| − | ''For the light of the Sun, of Dayshield, of White Ivory. ''
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| − | | |
| − | Low whispers. A prayer.
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| − | | |
| − | He was winning. Slowly, slowly, he was winning... only six left, two of them hurt... and he was still unhurt.
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| − | | |
| − | During the dance, he took his time to look down... to all the dead, filling with fury. To the city he had to protect and change, being broken, its denizens killed, filling with vengeance. To Kanti, glorious and powerful, filing with awe, and the desire to protect.
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| − | | |
| − | Those feelings guiding his blade, he made a sweep, bringing all the feathers he had shed over them back to his blade... and turning them into a whirlwind of cutting lights with which he end the Soulhunters!
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| − | | |
| − | '''SoulBranders: ''' The Soulbranders circled around her. Three dead, seven alive. And those ran after her, ran after her as she stepped away, the brute figures so unfit for a dance such as that, but they danced with her anyway, for they had no choice, pushed like moths to a bonfire, heeding the Garda Bird's call.
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| − | | |
| − | But it was not like last time. Those exploded in nightmare.... five of them surrounded by chains, their chains intermingling into one big strike at her... surrounding the chained Garda Bird with chains all their own.
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| − | | |
| − | '''Kanti: ''' And yet how could they?<br>
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| − | How could they seek to bind her?<br>
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| − | How could they seek to hurt her?<br>
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| − | How could they seek to maim her?<br>
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| − | Creation did not know when she asked it to witness their assault.<br>
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| − | Heaven did not know when she asked it why they attacked her.<br>
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| − | Heaven did not approve.<br>
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| − | Creation did not approve.<br>
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| − | Their disapproval was crushing.
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| − | | |
| − | '''SoulHunters: ''' Alexander was a pillar of light reaching up to heaven, the knight facing the city, his wings closing protectively.
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| − | | |
| − | One of the Soulhunters gazed into Alex... into his soul. And the others could feel his smile. "The boy is spent. Terribly inneficient, are you not, little man? No experience with godly combat. At all. Time for the final blow, but it will only take the two of us. The rest of you... the Garda Bird requires our attention." And so, four of them, including the two that were hurt, jump down, at Obsidian's side...
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| − | | |
| − | While the one who scrutinized Alex's aura jumps towards the boy's neck, the one next to him signaled... to become a nightmare. Melting, his blade becomes three, and three strikes fall upon Alexander...
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| − |
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| − | '''Alexander: ''' They knew.
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| − | | |
| − | He wanted to be glorious, like Kanti, but... but they knew...
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| − | | |
| − | And they were like nightmares.
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| − | | |
| − | Suddenly, the sword in his hand felt terribly inadequate. He was just a boy swinging a trinket. If he could truly use it... then they would be... they would... if he was truly capable of using it, they would be ashes. It was all his fault. Before, his gaze, his presence, was able to stop all of their strikes.
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| − | | |
| − | Now, scared, he could barely lift his blade.
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| − | | |
| − | ''No... ''
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| − | | |
| − | He stepped back into the cloud of smoke and dirt that his landing had brought to the air, his blade swinging to stop the nightmares, hoping they would not see him there...
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| − | | |
| − | '''Obsidian: ''' Obsidian growls. Both were pillars of force, the Knight shining above them like the sun, the Bird cawing and burning all around her. Obsidian growls, as he watches his best men being cut down. "''''Branders. Run back! She is not an opponent for the likes of you! Take the boy. '''"
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| − | | |
| − | "'''She is mine. '''"
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| − | | |
| − | And then, the Goremaul hit the ground. Earth exploded around it, lighting and dirt exploding around it... and then, he let go, sending it as a wheel of roaring pain in the direction of the Fire Aspect!
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| − | | |
| − | The impact is forceful enough to take Kanti from her feet in a thunderous boom that broke all glass in the street.
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| − | | |
| − | Taken from the ground, Kanti is whirled through the air, falling through a house, the Garda Bird screaming in flames as it covers the house, and Kanti is nowhere to be seen....
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| − | | |
| − | "'''Like I said. '''"
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| − | | |
| − | '''Kanti: ''' Kanti pauses briefly to consider the situation as she picks herself from the rubble, the last of the nightmare rolling off her. The prince duels with the hunters above, though four join him below. The seven branders still swarm after her. And then there was Obsidean. Kanti made her choice.<br>
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| − | She would dance.<br>
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| − | The dance was a dance of life.<br>
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| − | The dance was a dance of death.<br>
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| − | The dance was a dance of rebirth. <br>
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| − | The garda bird knew that well, and so she would dance. <br>
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| − | The dance was 49 steps.<br>
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| − | The dance was 7 strikes.<br>
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| − | The dance was 7 lives.<br>
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| − | The dance began at birth and it was seven steps to death.<br>
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| − | Each death was a strike.<br>
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| − | Each strike was a rebirth.<br>
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| − | Each birth was a dance she lived anew.<br>
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| − | Always, she would dance.
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| − |
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| − | '''SoulBranders: ''' She danced, and then, she was back in the middle of them, just as they were turning around.
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| − | | |
| − | One of them turned around, and his chains barely deflected her spear.
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| − | | |
| − | Horrified, the last one of those who tame Hungry Ghosts, the last one of their beastmasters watched his cohorts be taken by Viridian light....
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| − | | |
| − | And sent to heaven, to the wheel, to be washed away....
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| − |
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| − | He watched. They were smiling. Seven elites, who tamed the Hungry Ghosts of great chosen... those that would rain fire on her if she had not taken them out. If she... had not... if she... he saw them smiling.
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| − | | |
| − | Fear crept on him. He almost ran. Almost.
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| − | | |
| − | In his corpus, cold sweat covered his face as he stepped away... back at Obsidian... afraid like he had never been.
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| − | | |
| − | '''SoulHunters: ''' Soulhunters are fast. Their bodies built for that, for the utmost speed. They are, after all, hunters. They can get away when the enemy comes closer, when they have their Bows, Heralds of Punishment, in hand. And they can come closer when they have their golden Swords, the Shining Thuribles, in hand.
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| − | | |
| − | They could get to Kanti. But instead, they joined their blades at the ground... and essence covered them. They were ready. The last four were ready for this fight. The essence shone on their masks. And they waited on their leader's words.
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| − | | |
| − | However, far up on the wall, there was less ceremony. Lighting and air crackling around their swords, they came for Alexander. Using charms and power.
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| − | | |
| − | A strike of force and destruction, intent in nothing other than '''kill'''
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| − |
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| − | '''Alexander: '''He struck.
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| − | | |
| − | He struck, and it ''hurt. ''
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| − | | |
| − | He was going to lose, he was going to lose... he knew it....
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| − | | |
| − | '''''No! '''''
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| − | | |
| − | '''''You will not give up. You are a Pillar of the Sun. You are a Zenith. '''''
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| − | | |
| − | '''''Hold on to your power, strenghten your anima... and LIVE! '''''
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| − | | |
| − | And so, not even as himself anymore, he did. He remembered his faith...
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| − | | |
| − | And faith was his greatest armor....
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| − | | |
| − | .. armor that as fading. He spit his own blood, cut, his faith shredded...
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| − | | |
| − | ... his armor gone, his power gone.
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| − | | |
| − | '''Kanti: ''' "My prince!"
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| − | | |
| − | Kanti's shout is anguished at it fills the air, her spear still through the second but last of the Branders.
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| − | | |
| − | "My prince you must have strength."
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| − | | |
| − | ''And that is something that I can give you. ''<br>
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| − | Her words, as she speaks the next, are barely a whisper.<br>
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| − | "Strength, my prince, strength for both of us."<br>
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| − | ''And whisper fills up a little of his soul. ''
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| − | | |
| − | '''Alexander: ''' My prince, you must have strength
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| − | | |
| − | ''Strength, my prince, strength for both of us. ''
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| − | | |
| − | He hears her voice.<br>
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| − | Filling him with warmth.<br>
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| − | Filling the cold, the despair, the defeat, with hope...<br>
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| − | Lifting the mist of memory, his other self..<br>
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| − | And bringing Alex back, and not the other.<br>
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| − | It was Alex she cried for, cared for.
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| − | | |
| − | ''You are still there? ''
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| − | | |
| − | ''I am your flame, your light. I am always here. ''
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| − | | |
| − | ''Let my light burn, then. She believes in me, they believe in me. Let it '''shine'''''
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| − | | |
| − | "Let me burn them." He speaks, grasping the blade that has gone through the White Jade breastplate and into his chest. The blood trickling on the side of his lips, twin amethysts looked deeply into the enemy's mask.... and the light ran through the blade. It ran, striking the Soulhunter through the chest like the first of the sun.
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| − | | |
| − | Just as his blade did.
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| − | | |
| − | ... and then what there was, was ashes.
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| − | | |
| − | Only ashes. And nothing more.
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| − | | |
| − | "Thank you, Kanti."
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| − | | |
| − | '''Obsidian: ''' Obsidian charged it again.
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| − | | |
| − | "'''Hardy, aren't you? '''"
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| − | | |
| − | Let us see how much you will resist...
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| − | | |
| − | And then, with both Mauls at once, he hit the ground.
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| − | | |
| − | Abyssbreaker broke the ground open.<br>
| |
| − | Voidcrusher exploded it in such a way that it sent a wave of force...
| |
| − | | |
| − | A sharp chasm on the ground going towards Kanti at blinding speed!
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| − | | |
| − | '''Kanti: ''' No sooner had she whispered the prayer did she see the wave coming towards her, tearing up the street as it did, and she quaked just a little.
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| − | | |
| − | The last one had hurt..hurt so so much. <br>
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| − | And so this one could not be allowed to touch her.<br>
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| − | And so this one could not be allowed to hurt her.<br>
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| − | And so she lept up in a wash of flame, and dust and ash, and she pulled the garda bird to her, and the flames swirlled about her, and the flames swirled about the street, and the flames swirled about the brander.
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| − | | |
| − | The flames swirled.
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| − | | |
| − | '''Child of Wyld Days: ''' The howl is unmistakable. The cry brilliant, air-shattering, filled with a joy unspeakable and a madness the mortal, shaped mind cannot comprehend. It is the cry of the Wyld, hunter, lover, killer, savior. And it is a sign that there are still allies within the Boil.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Her---no, it's not her. But the basic shape is unmistakable, if smaller. It momentarilly rises to be shadowed by the moon, before slamming down to the ground heavily, powerfully, enough to send debris flying in all directions. She---no, he quickly straightens himself, standing tall and proud next to Alexander, a gleam of manic determination running through his wide brass eyes. Shorter, yes... and somewhat less clothed, he is, but the posture, the tail and the victor's medal dangling from a chain around his neck gives away his identity.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Owl and Serpent in hand, the Snow Monkey sets himself, grinning. "I am the Child of Wyld Days. I am raksha."
| |
| − | | |
| − | A swift spin of the staff, and he sends the owltip to the ground with a resouding CRACK. "And I will be your opponent!"
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Alexander: ''' "Days....?"
| |
| − | | |
| − | The prince looks at her... wait, wait.
| |
| − | | |
| − | "Just ''who'' are you?!?"
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Child of Wyld Days: ''' Snow Monkey looks over at Alex for a moment, grins, and does four things.
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| − | | |
| − | The first three are stabbing Owl and Serpent out at the nearby Soulhunter with the fury of a raksha possessed, arm practically a blur while the snaketip hisses death as it weaves in and out like a knitting needle.
| |
| − | | |
| − | The fourth action is, while effortlessly attacking, the Child of Wyld Days leaning over and giving Alex a teasing little kiss on the lips and a soft hoot. "I brought presents!"
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| − | | |
| − | ''I do so love these Exalted! ''
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| − | | |
| − | '''SoulHunters: ''' ... and, hit by her blow, the Soulhunter was broken, sent beyond the wall, his broken body falling on the stones below...
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| − | | |
| − | And Alex stood confused and embarassed, bus his light still reached up to the sky.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Kanti's light doing the same below.
| |
| − | | |
| − | And Obsidian was now surrounded by lights!
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| − | | |
| − | | |
| − | | |
| − | | |
| − | ----
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| − | | |
| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/FifthMovement|Fifth Movement]]
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| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/DanceOfAngels|A Dance of Angels]]
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