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| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/ThirdMovement|Third Movement]]
| + | #REDIRECT [[ADanceOfAngels]] |
| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/DanceOfAngels|A Dance of Angels]]
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| − | == The Army of Blood and Fire ==
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| − | During infinite moments they remained there within the Clock Tower. Bare skin, warm, hearing the gears clicking in motion... and amidst that sound, they begin to hear it... a commotion outside.
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| − | Moon picks it up first, people pointing and gawking as if it was some cave-in in the mines, and the clouds of smoke it formed... or cleaning season. Something outside. It does not seem to be a threat, just... a spetacle.
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| − | <b>Seventh Moon:</b> His ears twitch. There's a flaw in the even grind of the gears, a vibration out of sync with the heartbeat of the Dons. A frown forms on his lips as he leans back a little from the two women in his arms, peeling away the layers of sound to find the nuisance scratching at his senses.
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| − | Moon's frowned deepened. "... there's somethin' going on outside," he told Selina softly as he leaned back into her, keeping his voice low and his eye on Kanti. "And I don't think it's a good somethin'."
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| − | <b>Kanti:</b> Kanti tenses slightly as he speaks, looking up from where she was nuzzling into his soft, warm flesh, feeling a little of the warmth fade. She concentrates herself, listening for the sound that bothers Moon so, hearing .... something.
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| − | "I will go and see what it is," she speaks softly "if I may. There is no need for you two to get up..."
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| − | <b>Seventh Moon:</b> "Hell no." He answered without hesitation, looking down at her as emotions flashed back and forth between his eyes. Worry, irritation. "I ain't lettin' you go out alone. Fuck knows whats goin' on. Could be snatching up girls again..."
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| − | <i>And I already lost one of those</i>
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| − | Without thinking, his hand stroked across the Terrestrials hair again and squeezed the shoulder of the assassin beside him. He turned to Selina and smiled hesitantly. "We all go, right? Watch each others back?"
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| − | <b>Selina de Windia:</b> Selina looks up, neutral expression becoming one of faint irritation at the interruption, accompanied by a sigh. "Well, I wanted to have at something last night, guess I'll get my chance now." Her wings unfold, black feathers rustling over Moon -- enclosing them all for a moment and thus over Kanti as well -- she sniffs. "We'll all go. And if they want a girl, they'll get more then they bargained for."
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| − | <i>Oh, will they.</i>
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| − | <b>Kanti:</b> She lowers her eyes in acquisance as Moon gives his verdict and nods.
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| − | Then the feathers brush over her, and just for a moment her breath catches in her throat, her heart pounding against Moon's chest before she calms herself again.
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| − | <i>she won't hurt you now Kanti ...</i>
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| − | <i>Won't she?</i>
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| − | "As you wish, my lady." she says softly, slowly starting to pull away from Moon and Selina
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| − | <b>Seventh Moon:</b> In the absence of warmth, a lonely chill spreads. Moon nearly holds her down as Kanti begins to rise, his arm sliding almost limply off of her. He sighs softly and rubs his knuckles against the black feathered wing around him.
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| − | Selina's irration isn't lost on him and he smiles a little. Comfortable. Had just been too comfortable to have things like that a while. "You two get dressed. I'm gonna go make sure everything is cool down stairs..."
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| − | Rising to his feet, Moon snatches up his long-coat and moves over to the hatchway back to the storage room, looking back over his shoulder with a grin. "If I start screaming, then that probably means it ain't so safe."
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| − | Buttoning up the jacket, the Lunar hops down into the darkness.
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| − | <b>Kanti:</b> Kanti stands and pulls on the collection of crimson strips that pass for her clothing, adjusting them, then picking up the long spear.
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| − | She slips her cloak around her shoulders, and then walks over the trapdoor, waiting for instructions from Moon or Selina, ready to leap into action should it be needed.
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| − | <b>Selina de Windia:</b> Squatting down on her knees, Selina picks up her leotard, begins to slide the faintly metallic garment back up her body, muttering "If you start screaming, they'll be screaming even louder in a moment." under her breath.
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| − | Not, actually, that she'd mind that second part. The Windian hadn't been lying to Moon about enjoying the terror of magical beings. It was sweet, sweet revenge.
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| − | Fastening the soulsteel and jade collar around her neck, Selina smiles faintly to Kanti, less irritated now. "Don't worry, I'll keep you safe. Now, maybe, you will not be so afraid of me?"
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| − | <b>Kanti:</b> "No, my lady." She says softly as she waits, "I will not be so afraid of you."
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| − | <i>If I can.<br>If I can stop thinking of the Void when your wings move near me.<br>If I can stop thinking about the look on your face when you think of Her.</i>
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| − | <b>Selina de Windia:</b> Stooping to pick up her belt, Selina listens to Kanti's reply -- more neutral then she expected -- and sighs. More to herself.
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| − | <i>Should never have let Him in.</i>
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| − | That, really, was where all this came from, wasn't it? Or a good deal of it. Securing the belt and her weapons, the assassin makes a little pout -- again to herself.
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| − | <i>Well, I'll show Him to that bitch Charmaine.</i>
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| − | <i>At least it won't be wasted then.</i>
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| − | She had a few people to unveil the newest voice in her head to. And it would aid in other things, she realized suddenly, scooping her greatcoat off of the mattress and donning it, leaving it open at the front.
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| − | <i>Maybe...</i>
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| − | <i><b>Yes...</b></i>
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| − | Turning to Kanti, Selina listens to discern if anything else is happening below, then shrugs. "Well, let's be off."
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| − | <b>Kanti:</b> Kanti nods "Yes, my lady.", and walks over to the hole, twisting around her spear as she leaps down, landing lightly in at the base of the ladder, looking around for Moon as she waits for Selina to descend.
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| − | <i>she was upset at something ... probably me.<br>I don't want her upset at me ...</i>
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| − | <b>Seventh Moon:</b> Leaning against the wall by the door, Moon smiles as Kanti descends down the latter, though it's hard to see in the musty darkness. "Well, good news is that there wasn't anything waiting down here to eat us. Selina behind ya?"
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| − | <b>Selina de Windia:</b> "Yes my Lady." Selina mimicks in a falsetto, quietly enough that Kanti would hopefully not hear her once she has jumped down into the room below.
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| − | <i>Just what did I do to deserve this.</i>
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| − | Selina climbs down the ladder, not wanting her wings to catch on the frame and get broken. It would be a shame to cripple oneself before even getting into a fight. And somehow, the word would spread back to Nexus.
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| − | <i>It always does.</i> She thought sourly.
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| − | "Hi!" She says to the two of them, dusting off her greatcoat.
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| − | <b>Kanti:</b> Kanti nods in the darkness "Yes, Moon." she says as she steps aside from the base of the ladder to let Selina descend, turning to look at Selina as she joins them.
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| − | <b>Seventh Moon:</b> "A'ite then..." he sighs, turning around and gripping the edge of the stone door with his finger tips. "Let's see what's fucking stuff up out there today..."
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| − | The stone slab scratches in proper teeth-grating fashion as Moon pries it open. A shaft of pale morning sunlight pierces through the darkness, then slowly spreads across the room and the two women behind him.
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| − | <b>Kanti:</b> Kanti blinks a little against the light, then follows the pair out into the sunlight, shaking her hair a little as she feels the weak sun do its best to warm her.
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| − | Then they turn toward the commotion, and start to walk ...
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| − | <b>Animas:</b> Outside, with the sunlight, they see pillars, far away....
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| − | One is a Pillar of Dark-Red light, exploding in what seems to be dark fire. It dominates the sky, darkening the day every time the flames go too far up. Close to it, a gaudy purple shining on a ghostly white... the lights crash, and every time they do, it is like a visual thunder going out in the distance. Pehaps more than visual, as Moon's ears flick.
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| − | The people in the street watch it in awe... and then it dies down. The dark red lights subsumes and overpowers the light purple one, and begins to die down as well...
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| − | <b>Selina de Windia:</b> Selina notices the colors of the pillars. And notices how they react. She's seen this plenty of times before, and done it herself as well.
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| − | <i>Animas?</i>
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| − | "...Shit." She looks to Moon and Kanti. "Someone is fighting someone else. And just won. Which means, we'd better find out who. If it's an enemy, we can whack him good while he's exhausted."
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| − | <b>Seventh Moon:</b> Wincing into the sunlight, the sickly yellow coming through the smoky haze has very little on the display of light flashing in the distance.
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| − | "Sheeyit..." Moon breaths, echoing Selinas sentiments. Watching as the lights crash and roar together, the skin around his ears tightening every time they come together. A distant din of something crashing, like a foundry working overtime.
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| − | "Whatever you say darlin," he nods, feeling in the inner pockets of his coat to make sure the two jade gauntlets were still there. "Lets get moving."
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| − | <b>Selina de Windia:</b> "What about Fiona?" She says hesitantly. It wouldn't do for her to wake up and find everyone gone. "We probably shouldn't just run off unless we're quick about it."
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| − | <b>Kanti:</b> <i>Animas.</i><br>
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| − | <i>I wonder who fights...</i>
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| − | She looks at the display with wonder and a little fear, listening to the Dark Angel's words..
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| − | "Please don't leave her my lady" Kanti says quietly.
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| − | <b>Seventh Moon:</b> Moon looks back at Selina, then tips his head. "Y'wanna stay back then? Keep an eye on her?"
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| − | Facing the horizon where the pillars had shone, Moon's eyes narrow. "Maybe you both should. I can get out there and back fast enough. At least enough to see what the fuck was going on."
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| − | <i>And it'll keep the kid outta danger</i>
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| − | <b>Kanti:</b> <i>I've been trained to put myself in danger for longer than you have been Exalted, my lord, you should not worry for me.</i>
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| − | Kanti remains silent, waiting for them to decide.
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| − | <b>Seventh Moon:</b> Time wasn't really something they probably had. Fuck, it was something they rarely seemed to have. Moon decides for them with a throaty growl. Body hunching and clothes seeming to evaporate into a thick layer of gray-white fur, the Lunar shrinks and falls to hands a knees. Only hands and knees mean four feet, a moment later.
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| − | In totem form, Moon looks up at them and cocks his head, ears forward. Jaws parting, he gives them literally a wolfish grin.
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| − | <i>I'll be back</i>
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| − | The large hound butts his head against Kanti, then touches his muzzle against Selina's hand before wheeling about and making a mad dash through the twisting streets towards the city wall.
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| − | <b>Selina de Windia:</b> "Um." Selina murmurs, watching Moon disappear behind a bend. "Well. I guess I'd better go after him." She looks to Kanti, and nods toward the inn. "Go watch over Fiona for me, then. I would do it myself, but...if he gets into trouble, I'd better be there to help."
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| − | <b>Kanti:</b> The look in Kanti's eye suggests that maybe she might voice some minor protest ... she didn't need to be protected. But Fiona did.
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| − | "Yes, my lady." she says with a nod "Please ..." she looks down again "...don't be away too long." she adds, very softly.<br>
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| − | <i>...she wants to hurt Her..how can you wish that?</i><br>
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| − | She turns and moves towards the whorehouse, returning there as swiftly as she can.
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| − | <b>Selina de Windia:</b> Buttoning up the greatcoat at the front, Selina begins to walk down the street, toward the walls. Flying over would be an easy proposition, and her charms would ensure that no one notices...
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| − | And neither will Moon. Which, might work to her advantage if he gets into a fix and they think he's alone.
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| − | <i>Every opprotunity to kill a deathknight should be taken.</i>
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| − | <b>The Army of Blood and Fire:</b> Moon races outside of the walls, easily enough. They were distracted.
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| − | Out of the wall, easy enough to go towards the lights... they vanished now, but it was a sure path, to West. Over a couple little mounts... and it begun. Things begun shaking. Shaking... the earth was shaking. thunder, crashing down again and again.
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| − | He was almost where the lights should have been. And then, above a mount, he saw it. A great stain of dark red upon the world. Their every step making the ground shake. Blood red cloaks, clad in full armor. So many... and in their midst, a great beast. Red. A Red Wolf tall as the walls of the Boil. Every time its paws came down, the ground shook. There were other great vehicles carried with the army's wing, but they were nowhere near its size. And shining atop of the beast, one could see the glint of Magical Materials.
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| − | He sees, above the great monster.... the great red monster, he sees the glint of soulsteel, defiance against the cold sunlight. Soulsteel around a man's arm, on a bright red cloak. And at his side... Jade. Four in Jade. Green Jade and White oak shining on a large, strong figure. Red Jade covering one in shining, elaborate full body armor. Something like... glass. One clad in glass. And ladies in impossible dressess... and vaguely human, undead monsters stand up there up there... and above spines lifted out of the creature. In fetal position, about eight of those monsters slumbed grappled in hooks made out of the creatures' ribs, extended out of its flesh and to the air.
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| − | To Selina, the sight is a little more different. He sees the strong man in point. Red beard, red hair. The General of the Army of Blood and Fire. She had heard of him, one of the greatest human generals of the north in recent years. He was a feared man, a General who conquered much in the Northwest, Raegar Malian. He had gone to the Bishop's side, and seems like he really did well at it. She sees the black dress on a fair-skinned Air Aspect. She sees the large Wood Aspect in white oak and green jade armor, a large, lifelike lotus-shaped tetsubo resting above his shoulder. Close to him, dressed in mauve, another Wood Aspect, certainly a sorceress... and whose breeding surpassed even Selina's family, seasons passing through her skin, miniature forests adorning her body changing as moments pass.
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| − | And with them, undead creatures... a scorpion of silver. A body dressed in mystical, colored glass. A cloaked doll of a thousand arms. Monsters.
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| − | And chained, beneath the creature's head... hooks going into his form, a lean form, blue hair falling down, blood dripping down ... she recognized him. Hard not to, such pale flesh, such blue hair. Quite unusual. Feral Shadow of Azure and Mauve, another Deathknight for her mistress.
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| − | <b>Seventh Moon:</b> Slowing as the earth began to tremble beneath his feat, Moon dropped low and wriggled back into the underbrush, his tail drooping low.
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| − | <i>Where the fuck did <b>these</b> people come from?</i>
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| − | Wide eyed, his gaze skipped across the innumerable red-cloaked figures, flowing through the valleys like blood between pathing stones. Then up at the lumbering beast. He remembered still the last red giant he ran into, back in that nameless village. Former village, at least. Same one... ? The cold eyes stared hard at that beast, but he couldn't tell. He'd barely taken a glimpse at the last one.
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| − | But it wasn't the beast itself he should be looking at. The sheen of metal atop the great creature draws his eyes and they narrow in strain to make out the figures standing up there. Even with the flicker of Essence to his senses though, he was too far away to make out more than impressions. Bad impressions. Whole thing looked screwy enough, but the hound in him raised it's hackles and let out an uncertain growl. For once, he was inclined to agree with it. Whatever this was, he didn't want any part of it.
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| − | Moon began to back away slowly, sinking deeper into the wilderness around him.
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| − | <b>Selina de Windia:</b> <i>Well well.</i> Thinks the Dark Angel, gazing at the entourage from higher ground: a treeline, well-concealed behind the bole of a pine. <i>One of the Pale Angel's rivals, perhaps?</i>
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| − | She could put a name to him, and perhaps even a title. The General. The one she'd missed in Spire. Her next victim. But not now, not yet. Soon, though. He had a prisoner -- another deathknight, it seemed. Probably one of the Lover's -- Mask of Winters and Walker in Darkness rarely sent people this far north, and the Dowager kept her little plague-rats close.
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| − | <i>I'll free you. Our Mistress should reward me handsomely for that.</i>
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| − | And that demon he was riding on. And the Nemissaries and...Terrestrials? Chaff. All of them. Still, alot of chaff could smother.
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| − | <i>I'll need the Pale Angel for this.</i>
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| − | <i>If not more.</i>
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| − | <b>Rain of Unspoken Words:</b> Rain of Unspoken Words sits atop one of the Boil's many walls peeking mischievously into a paper bag on her lap. Few would have believed you could find peach scented soap in the boil-- few would have believed the Boil had any soap, judging by some of the inhabitants therin. The soap was a simple distraction, one pleasures of life Fair Folk of the Wyld often glance over as unimportant. Rain was not one of those Fair Folk. She had come most recently, in fact, from the Underworld, the Palace of Red Ice where she'd taken orders from the Lover and accompanied one of her Abyssals to this area.
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| − | Feral Shadow of Azure and Mauve, to be exact, the selfsame Feral Shadow of Azure and Mauve who was apparantly doing an exceptionally poor job of being the Lover's Spymaster this very moment a half-hour's walk from the city, not that she had anything to do with that. Not at all.
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| − | Well...
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| − | Maybe just a <i>little.</i>
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| − | Feral was not the matter on Rain's mind, however. She was supposed to be finding the Dark Angel some time about now, and sniffing her soap could probably wait. Packing the baggie away in her olive coat, she retrieves the Lover's spellsphere. A little toy to lead her to the Dark Angel.
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| − | If she'd had an audience, she would have taken bets that the little bird would take her straight to Feral. One small shattered glass sphere later, Rain was not disappointed. Off she went-- a glimmering trail of gossamer in her wake. Feral was a half-hour's walk from the city-- but Rain was not walking.
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| − | <b>Selina de Windia:</b> Selina had stopped flying as she neared the walls of the Boil, was walking through the almost pleasantly close woods and generally making sure that no one saw her before she went up and over. Not that many could detect her, with her magic up like this.
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| − | And then that strange bird <i>landed on her</i>. The Windian halted with a start, wondering if the General had planned this all out. Draw her out of the city and lay a trap, would they? She'd take him with her to <b>Hell</b> then! Opening the greatcoat -- the bird didn't move -- and making ready to draw whichever weapon seemed better at the moment, she waited.
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| − | And waited. No General was evident. Nor his demon. Nor his terrestrial lackeys. Nor his disgusting little nemissaries. Nothing.
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| − | Not that she waited around in the open to see. Selina hid, her magic still protecting her for the moment, waiting down in a tangle of bushes.
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| − | <b>Rain of Unspoken Words:</b> As the spell finds its target, Rain races around to her rear, sneaking playfully in an attempt to take her by surprise even while her guard is up.
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| − | <b>Selina de Windia:</b> She heard the person coming up behind her. Not too bad at sneaking about, but not able to evade detection. Selina kept herself low until the last minute, then she rose up, after a final flicker of her eyes to make sure no one else was waiting for her to show herself fully.
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| − | "And what," She asks sarcastically, looking at this person up and down, and deciding for now, that it was not a deathknight or terrestrial. "Would you be wanting with me, mmm?"
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| − | <b>Rain of Unspoken Words:</b> Rain gives a start as the Dark Angel pops up and catches her red-handed-- or soft footed, as the case may be. With a snap of her fingers a sheaf of paper appears in her hand and she hands the Dark Angel her Official Slave of the Lover identification papers, complete with group photo of Rain, Feral, and the Lover in a most compromising position and signed by the Lover-- supposedly.
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| − | <b>Selina de Windia:</b> Eyebrows raising as she takes the papers, Selina sighs and confirms that this is not an agent of the Bishop. The Bishop didn't exalt people like this. Ever. Looking over the papers, then to Rain, the Dark Angel gives her a sarcastic look. "You know, this is quite enough to prove you are <b>not</b> part of the Bishops retinue."
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| − | <b>Rain of Unspoken Words:</b> Rain makes an elaborate bow at the Dark Angel's deduction. "Rain of Unspoken Words at your service m'angel, diplomat at large. M'lady Lover sends her condolences-- me-- for your inability to trade some sword for Abyssal essences or... well.. something like that, I suppose."
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| − | <b>Selina de Windia:</b> "Mmhmm, and you are a...fae? Half-fae? Not a ghost, certainly." Selina thought of her sword, and then of Moon. Neither of them liked fae. Well, if this was just a messager...
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| − | "She can take that up with the Pale Angel." Selina said with the same upraised eyebrows as before, then lowered them. "Now, are you here as reinforcement?"
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| − | <b>Rain of Unspoken Words:</b> Rain of Unspoken Words straightens from her bow and smiles "I am whatever you want me to be, m'angel-- I am at your command for the immediate future.". She pauses for a moment, remembering something. "Actually, I suppose I'm under the Pale Angel's command." She looks around, "Where is your superior?"
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| − | <b>Selina de Windia:</b> "No one is my superior right now." Replies Selina, studying this...fae? Only a fae would say that, or a very good Chosen. "And the Pale Angel is far away. If you've meant to come to her, you're over a hundred miles off-course. She's to the north, somewhere. Killing things."
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| − | She didn't stop at that, though. "Whatever you are, I must be going. Things to do, people to see. You know how it goes."
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| − | <b>Rain of Unspoken Words:</b> "Nope nope, the Lover was <i>quite</i> clear. 'Help the Dark Angel, obey the Pale Angel,' if she's not around, well, you've got me all to yourself! Speaking of which... I couldn't help but notice your decided movement away from Feral Shadow of Azure and Mauve-- you're a woman after my own blackened heart, mm? I admire that in a girl"
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| − | <b>Selina de Windia:</b> Selina pauses for a moment, then continues. "You know, even <b>I</b> can't get rid of <i>all at once</i>. As for the rest," The Windian says smoothly. "I do intend to do something about this 'Feral Shadow', but only when I can do it without winding up beside him."
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| − | "If," Selina says off-handedly, looking ahead, at the walls rising in the distance. "You wish to help me, then come with me into the city."
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| − | <b>Rain of Unspoken Words:</b> "You can't...? Well, I suppose neither could he, after all! One has to wonder what sort of madness took him to think a spy should go charging in like that... Well, I don't have to wonder, but you do. But anyway...! Following you into the city I can do. Does it transform into a warstrider?"
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| − | ----
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| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/ThirdMovement|Third Movement]]
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| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/DanceOfAngels|A Dance of Angels]]
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