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| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/SixthMovement|Sixth Movement]]
| + | #REDIRECT [[ADanceOfAngels]] |
| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/DanceOfAngels|A Dance of Angels]]
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| − | == End of Servitude ==
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| − | '''Fiona: '''An empty neighborhood on the periphery of Spire, close to the Temple of All Tears. The Solar shines, shines in pure golden light with clear green hues shining on her anima, the street and houses scorched by her pure essence. Twilight shines on her forehead, her large hazel eyes shining with it...
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| − | She curses, and begins to try again.
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| − | Something was just not right yet...
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| − | '''Selina de Windia: ''' That shimmering corona of light brights her back to the battle. When she recalled her own golden radiance.
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| − | ''Did I err? ''
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| − | One cannot truly know such things for a surety. One can only go on. Greatcoat open at the front, hanging about her shoulders without her arms even in it, Selina crosses her arms under her breasts and watches Fiona.
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| − | "What spell is that?" She finally asks, after the girl fails the spell.
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| − | '''Fiona: ''' She is still cloaked on her green coat, the one she had gotten from Vivian on the Boil, the eyes on the broochs keeping the cape together. She snaps her fingers, and the burning essence vanishes from her hands, burning away in little rainbow snowflakes. "The one you had tried to teach me, the one with the ice needles. Not quite getting it yet, however..."
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| − | "Want to be more useful than I was last time. How are you, after that?"
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| − | "You seemed so... drained, in the battle. And worried."
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| − | '''Selina de Windia: ''' "I could be better, but well enough." Selina shrugs, then looks about. What a dismal place Spire is, the Boil was far less so. It had, verve, life.
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| − | ''I cannot believe I will be happy to be back in Nexus, shithole of the east. ''
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| − | "We nearly lost there. Victory and defeat balanced on the edge of a blade." She says with some hint of grim humor. "But what happened, happened."
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| − | '''Fiona: ''' The girl walked to one of the nearby rubble, sitting on it, watching the Dark Angel...
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| − | "Things got complicated, didn't they? You and the Dark Angel... the way you look at the demonic girl... the prince... the Raksha... so much going on. And I feel like an outsider to all that... even you did not even want to come closer to me again." She says, holding herself. "What am I to you, anyway? What are they?"
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| − | '''Selina de Windia: ''' So she feels isolated. Well, cannot be helped, given the age disparity.
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| − | "Things have gotten far too complicated for my taste, in some ways." She replies flatly. "I will be honest: I did not come closer because I do not want to do more of what...that woman did." Selina says, not using the Vestal's name.
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| − | "I am no less of the Void than her. In some ways, more."
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| − | '''Fiona: ''' "And I am not your servant like I was hers'. I told you I let that behind. I let 'mistress' escape once or twice,..." She says, sighing. "I also can feel you don't want me close to Alex.... I... dreamed about him for so long. But now I feel like there is this barrier between us... I just feel strange. Like that was another life, another me, like now I am so unclean... and, well, and he is with your girlfriend." She sighs.
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| − | "What ''do'' you want?"
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| − | '''Selina de Windia: ''' "My 'girlfriend' is not suitable for Alexander, and it is a selfish and self-absorbed relationship she has with him, not helped at all by the fact that he naively thinks it's without danger and innocent." Selina says with more than a hint of disapproval in her tone.
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| − | "But what do I want? I do not know. My duchy back, I suppose." She says, the disapproving bled from her voice. "And, possibly, some semblance of justice in the North."
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| − | '''Fiona: ''' "And you want to split them apart? How?" She asks, playing with golden butterflies about her hands. "You also want Kanti to stay away from him... why do you want everyone to stay away from him?"
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| − | '''Selina de Windia: ''' "Because he is young and impressionable. When I was young and easily molded, horrible things happened to me. I had all manner of bad influences, and look at me today." Selina smirks, one hand indicating herself before going back being crossed over the other. "I am a murdering whore, at least in part. Most importantly, I definitely was one for many years. Think of me having ruled a country during the years I made the legend of Culwyeh, of the Dark Angel. Does that seem a pleasant image?"
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| − | "Do you really think one of the stronger nations of the North being ruled by someone twisted like that, is a good idea?"
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| − | '''Fiona: ''' "I trust him. He is not twisted. You eat people, you try to take loves away from someone, and you want to take control of Windia..." She shakes her head. "And you want ''my'' obedience, don't you? Is that a good idea?"
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| − | '''Selina de Windia: ''' "No, I want my duchy back. Winlandia can be ruled by the royals, and the councils." Selina shakes her head in turn. "You would be surprised how quickly light can turn to dark. Or maybe not -- you have seen it in a way."
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| − | "And yet you miss my point entirely."
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| − | '''Fiona: ''' "I almost did..." she says, hugging her knees to herself, shivering. "She almost turned me..."
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| − | "If she had asked, before you, before Kanti, I would have said yes."
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| − | "But I spent a few months on Whiteshield, Duchess of Windia. The Queen, Adrianna, was a Durant. Her family holds the current duchy of Windia... and they are the ultimate authority. As your family was before, I think..." She sighs. "I like reading. Story of King and Queen's lines took half of Whiteshield's library, I swear."
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| − | '''Selina de Windia: ''' "And knowing you nearly fell, why do you speak as if he never could? That is my point. You may trust him when it is his mind working without influence, but what if someone twists him? It is not a matter of ''trusting him'' then."
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| − | Selina frowns, remembering the dreams. "I have been told to corrupt him -- with my beauty, with my skill at love, with my echoing sighs. I imagine, so has the Pale Angel. The Lover can force us to, by various methods, even if we do not wish to."
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| − | "That beautiful, innocent love can become something else entirely."
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| − | '''Fiona: ''' "I guess. I can see it. I know I can't trust Kanti when it comes to the Vestal... but no idea about the Pale Angel. She seemed much, much nicer than you, but then..." She shrugs, "Some of the people who look the nicest are the worst, aren't they?"
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| − | "I still trust him, though..."
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| − | '''Selina de Windia: ''' "She may be better than me." Selina shrugs, a bit hurt by Fiona's words. "Or maybe what makes her nasty has yet to be triggered. She keeps others at a distance too much to know."
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| − | "Though she can be an insufferable bitch."
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| − | '''Fiona: ''' "She can, really?" She gets interested, getting up from the rubble and walking towards Selina... and then vanishing into butterflies, appearing hugging Selina from behind... "Tell me, tell me!"
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| − | '''Selina de Windia: ''' "Wh-what?" Selina says hesitantly as Fiona comes from behind her. "Haven't you heard the legends? Think of them only with a prudish and know-it-all personality added."
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| − | '''Fiona: ''' "I hear she is ''scary''!"
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| − | "Not that she is ''bitchy''!"
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| − | "Come oooooonnnnn, tell me!"
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| − | '''Selina de Windia: ''' "Honestly?" Selina says dryly. "She is not that scary. Oh sure, once in a blue moon she can be...but no."
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| − | And then she sighs. "She criticizes people and tells them what to do. She finds problems with everything and says all kinds of hurtful things without considering what they'll do."
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| − | '''Fiona: ''' "Like you just critisized everyone else?" She nibbles on Selina's ear, hanging from her neck, but not as a lover. More like some weird sort of kitten. "Or how you expect to get my friend aaaaallll alone?"
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| − | "You also never answered my question." She pouts.
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| − | '''Selina de Windia: ''' "Not as rudely as her." Selina says, clearly offended, but not bothering to stop Fiona from climbing all over her. "What friend, and which question?"
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| − | '''Fiona: ''' Fiona continues hanging, smiling. "Well, the Prince. He is still my friend, you know, even if I don't know what I feel about him anymore. I care alot about him...." She bites her lips. It was strange. She sacrificed herself for him and his brother once, but now.... well, what now? This was just... strange. To not know what she felt like... what her feelings are.
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| − | "What do you think of me?"
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| − | She slips in front of Selina, looking up with hard eyes, "That is the question."
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| − | "What do you want of me? You are teaching me... and you want something in return, right?"
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| − | '''Selina de Windia: ''' "As do I. And sometimes, I wish I did not." Selina says stiffly.
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| − | Then she returns Fiona's look. "You? You are me, nine years ago. Maybe less abused, maybe more -- neither of us knows what the other truly went through in the bad times."
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| − | "I was a Solar once. No longer. I can destroy -- I can destroy better than anyone else now. As a force of destruction, the Dark Angel is unparalelled." Selina states grimly. "But I cannot create, not like I once could. Windia needs a terrible guardian, but it also needs someone who can bring the wonders back. You can do that, not I."
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| − | "Your sorcery is also of interest to me -- I do not know that circle." Then she shrugs. "That, and honestly, you would do well with having access to the lore I have found, and having more sting to your magic. Being subdued again would probably be doubly unpleasant."
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| − | '''Fiona: ''' Hazel meets turquoise. Her eyes look at Selina.... into Selina, almost. Golden light still shines about her, and leaves reappear amidst the edges of her anima... as she smiles. "So, we broaden each other's your horizons... you sharpen mine... and I make the sight more beautiful to look at?"
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| − | "I... guess. And maybe someday we will find out if you can become a Solar again..."
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| − | She smiles, looking up... "Can I ask you a favor?"
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| − | '''Selina de Windia: ''' Selina looks away with a bit of embarassment. "Why does everyone want me to do that..." She grumbles to herself, then meets Fiona's gaze again. "Um, what's the favor?"
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| − | '''Fiona: ''' She smiles... enjoying Selina's embarassment.
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| − | ''She looks more like a person now. She is a person down there... ''<br>
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| − | ''She is like me. Just like me... ''<br>
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| − | ''If I decided to become a killer. A monster. ''<br>
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| − | ''And I... don't want to... ''
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| − | She runs to her, then, pretty much jumping to Selina and holding her, almost vanishing into Selina's greatcoat, holding the Dark Angel close... Selina could incite her lust much like Kanti did, but she did not now. Now she was like an older sister... a teacher... "Protect me?"
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| − | ''Maybe if I ask, she will try to be nicer for me. To become my protector... ''<br>
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| − | ''Maybe then, she will be embarassed more often. She will shine more often. ''<br>
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| − | ''Maybe... ''
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| − | '''Selina de Windia: '''"I, um..." Selina sighs, not liking that to be made light of. "Already have decided I wouldn't let you get treated like that again. Yes, even by Kanti."
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| − | '''Fiona: ''' She continues to hold Selina close, so close...
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| − | "You want to take her back from Alex as well... I know."
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| − | "Just don't ask me to pick sides there...."
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| − | '''Selina de Windia: ''' Selina's eyes flash. "That is the other reason, and why should it not be? I was there first, and I received only scorn. After looking up to her for years, after trying to be friendly. When the Prince is around, she is with him, never me. Never, unless she has finished with him. I am nothing more than a secondary choice."
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| − | "It hurts."
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| − | "And I will not."
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| − | '''Fiona: ''' "I asked about Kanti, you tell me of the Pale Angel. Heh... but I can understand you..."
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| − | "Good luck... if it hurts you do something about it!" Fiona finally lets go of Selina, walking away, droplets of rain beggining to fall.... "Oh well. I guess we should go inside now? When are we getting decent rooms here, anyway?"
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| − | '''Selina de Windia: ''' "Kanti?" Selina blushes, wishing she could take that back, but it's too late now. "If Kanti is happier with him, then I do not want to."
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| − | "As long as she does not corrupt him." The Windian adds. "She may not even know better, and that concerns me." Then she stops, looking up at the sky, the raindrops falling into her eyes. "We'll get decent rooms when we get to a decent city, alas."
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| − | '''Eva: ''' "In fact, you might get soon enough, Dark Angel!" Comes a voice from afar, from the Jade-clad Lieutenant Eva Purewing. "Leonas, Alexsei, and the Opal woman are organizing a team to go look into the Spire. The girl has shown to be a savant while understanding what has happened with the periphery of the city... shall we go and find out what happened to its ''core''? If Leonas' original team has truly averted all danger as he claims, we might be looking foward to staying on a palace!"
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| − | '''Selina de Windia: ''' ''Oh dear. ''
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| − | "It looks like they want you to go with them." Selina says to Fiona, looking back at the bulk of the city. She'd been in the palace -- kind of -- a few weeks ago.
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| − | ''Funny I felt nothing odd then. ''
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| − | But then, nothing had been unlocked either.
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| − | "I wonder if I ought to go as well."
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| − | '''Fiona: ''' "Yes, they do. Ah well..." She moves up, kissing the Dark Angel on the cheek. "Time to work! No need to come, Alexsei and others will be there... but if we are in trouble, I will let you know. Then you can come for our rescue, instead of being caught in there with us!" She smiles as Eva comes closer, lifting her hand high and letting herself be flown up....
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| − | "I will see you, Teach!"
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| − | '''Selina de Windia: '''Selina looks a little bewildered by the girl's forwardness. Or maybe that is the enthusiasm of youth?
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| − | ''I am still young. ''
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| − | "Ah, you have a point." She replies, smiling faintly, in spite of herself. "I'll see you in a bit, or later, then!"
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| − | ''Too young to be like this. ''
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| − | ''Is this why she is so infatuated with him? ''
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| − | ----
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| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/SixthMovement|Sixth Movement]]
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| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/DanceOfAngels|A Dance of Angels]]
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