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| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/SeventhMovement|Seventh Movement]]
| + | #REDIRECT [[ADanceOfAngels]] |
| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/DanceOfAngels|A Dance of Angels]]
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| − | == Love the World ==
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| − | It is not the best of days for the Shades of Eventide.
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| − | Especially on the light of current developments.
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| − | The interrogation of the captured priest in one of the clinic's emptied storage rooms was going smoothly enough before Monev, knight-hunter of the Goddess of Birds of Spire, broke in, tro kill them all. Covered by the birds that made up Monev's body, Iselsis covered Days' and the priest's escape by exploding the whole room, shaking the building to its foundations. She was saved, and Monev, converted to the side of light by Seventh Moon and Prince Alexander.
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| − | Of course, he did not expect them to be able to do so.
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| − | And of course, it dispelled all doubts for his immediate loyalty... since the moment he became part of Creation once again, he became just another target for Calobis' ritual - a spell that will wipe out every living thing on Spire.
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| − | Now, the Shades of Eventide know where Calobis, the Hekatonkire, is hiding on. Now, they know what his plan is, and what was the point of all that happenned. However, after confronting the Virdynn - feline spirits possessing the bodies of powerful beings, including powerful demigods and a Solar - and Redrum, the Lords of Massacre, whom even weakened had the puissance of the Exalted in their flames... they had little else left.
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| − | It was four Celestials still in any shape to fight, on the clock to save a city.
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| − | They had better days.
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| − | And then, Kanti came back from fetching Alex something to dress. She had heard the roar of Iselsis' move, the explosion and the fire seen from afar... but within the clinic's corridors, the smoke and the feathers were still faint in the air... and close to Fiona's bed, there is now Iselsis, her body burnt... the Prince, looking worried and sick... Ryshassa, looking drained.... some godling, seen only as broken Irises on another bed.... and the Princess of Whiteshield, her wings out, covered in blood... and Moon, smelling faintly medium rare.
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| − | '''Kanti: ''' Kanti arrives at a run, leaving small bursts of fire behind her as she does from the speed of her passage, the confines of the hospital somehow more comforting to her now, filed as they are with the tang of smoke ... a direct contrast to her concious thoughts, now very worried about Alex, Fiona, Ryshassa and Moon...
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| − | "My prince ... are you alright? Is everyone else alright? What has happened to the ... to iselsis...?" She asks quickly, nervously scanning, eying the godling and Liz with suspicion in her concern...
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| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' "Ain't nothin' a'ite right now," Moon said, slapping ash and burnt spots off his coat - reclaimed finally from Iselsis - and tugging it back on as Kanti arrived. "But we ain't dead ''yet'', if thats what ya mean."
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| − | '''Alexander: ''' "According to Monev there" Alex points to the faint apparition in one of the beds... very, very faint. "Iselsis lured all the birds that formed his body around her, and blew herself up. She is... brave..." ''What would take for me to do the same? To hurt herself so horribly... '' "... but do not worry, Ryshassa is here. She will have Iselsis back to life in no time." As he says so, he gestures to her, wanting to know what she got for him.
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| − | '''Ryshassa: ''' Ryshassa stands wearily between the beds where Iselsis and Monev rest, looking very much like she needs to sit down. Beneath her silvery white kimono she still appears quite a bit singed, though not nearly as much so as Iselsis or the godling.
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| − | "It will take me some time... I have healed quite a few today," Ryshassa admits. "She will be fine, though... the patients are at least stable, except for Fiona..." Her brows crease worriedly as she glances towards the other Twilight. "Leonas and Days have left to get her some help."
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| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' "Except that ain't gonna matter for shit soon enough. Ain't none of gonna be okay if that fucker finishes the goddamn ritual." Moon said, a growl of irritation in his tone. He gave Kanti a small, nasty smile, made all the less pleasant for the still-healing patch of blackened skin on the side of his face. "See, Feathers told us all 'bout some undead fucker hidin' in the city, plannin' on usin' some necroshit ta kill everyone. Thats why we're still standin' 'round here, y'know?"
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| − | '''Kanti: ''' ''Fiona can't be hurt... ''<br>
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| − | ''she can't.... ''<br>
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| − | ''how can she be hurt...? ''
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| − | "What ... what is wrong with Fiona?" she asks, clutching Alexander's shirt close to her chest as she asks, rubbing it between her fingers for reassurance.
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| − | '''Ryshassa: ''' Ryshassa takes a deep breath. It still stings that she cannot help Fiona. "It is something with her Essence... the Virdynn scrambled it somehow... it is something I cannot heal, it needs the knowledge of a sorcerer or thaumaturgist, who knows better the workings of essence flows."
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| − | "And that is only one of our worries, with what Monev has said." She shakes her head sorrowfully. "We are ''all'' in danger now. But we are also drained, and I do not have the energy remaining to share with everyone here..."
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| − | '''Alexander: ''' A couple steps towards Kanti, and Alexander holds her hands, pushing her close to him...
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| − | "She will be fine... Leonas went to find a person who can heal her. She will be fine..."<br>
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| − | ''Unless Days decides to kill him, too. ''
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| − | '''Kanti: ''' Kanti frowns nervously at Fiona on the bed, clutching the shirt even closer, but she nods, calming visibly as Alex draws her close to him, then pulling back a little.
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| − | "I bought you a shirt, my prince." She says, and offers him the now rumpled fabric with a smile, and then turns to Ryshassa.
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| − | "I ... if you will permit .... I think I can help, Ryshassa. There is a technique in my style, the Soul Restoring Whisper .... if I utter it to a Solar, one who can return the gift of essence in kind, as you can, then Creation rewards the exchange a hundredfold. We can give everyone back the essence they will need."
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| − | '''Alexander: ''' The prince begins to put it off. Finally, not walking around flashing his chest anymore! In a different situation, he would be angry that no one noticed him anyway. But now, it was like a security blanket. Less exposed skin made him feel less vulnerable... especially now, that he could feel flames licking his body ever time he thought of Iselsis. And he had not to think of it. Not to hesitate. Soon... "Kanti... will you be well after you do it? We will need you..."
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| − | '''Ryshassa: ''' A grateful smile crosses Ryshassa's strained features as she listens to Kanti's suggestion. "Yes. Yes, that would be perfect, Kanti. I do not like to trouble you so, but we must hurry. Do not worry about Fiona now..." She says that just as much for herself as for Kanti. "...Let us help who we can help now."
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| − | Rather than beckoning Kanti to her, she steps closer to both Kanti and Alexander, glancing to the Prince first to ensure that he is giving his approval.
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| − | '''Alexander: '''Alexander takes a step away from Kanti... his mien troubled. Worried. But he had no choice.
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| − | Ryshassa had his approval, but she could see how much he would want Kanti not to be harmed...
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| − | '''Kanti: '''Kanti takes a step away from the Prince, taking Ryshassa's hands a little nervously, then with a subtle adjustment of her stance, seems to calm herself utterly, almost glowing with a radiance only the most untroubled souls can manage, closing her eyes and breathing in a measured tone.
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| − | Then she starts to whisper in tones so quiet none can make them out, not least Ryshassa who though she knows has heard each and every syllable, knows that also, she cannot recall a single one. They are earthed in her, deeper than the concious mind, instead openning up doors in Ryshassa's soul, doors to reserves of essence, of power she never knew she possessed, and from these reserves the essence flows outwards, into Ryshassa's concious control.
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| − | In front of her, Kanti is glowing with flames and with viridian lightning, though she does not burn.
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| − | '''Seventh Moon: '''Moon took a seat on the edge of one of the beds and watched in silence as Kanti burned. The worried look on the princes face put him on edge and he stared out from under his brow, watching close for some sign the magic being worked was hurting Kanti. He was frustrated, eager to get going, but couldn't entirely deny this was probably something that needed to be done. They were all burnt out, some of them ''literally'' burnt. He just wished it didn't feel like it was taking so long. Every second standing around was another second they sat with the threat of death hanging over them and the rest of the city.
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| − | And besides that, this was getting to be a bad habit. They'd already saved Spire once today and hell knows how many times more in the last few weeks. Be nice if the fucking city could just '''''stay saved! '''''
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| − | '''Elizabeth Holysword: ''' Elizabeth watches the scarred fire aspect with a touch of distaste. Was that how Alex thought his subjects should act? It was sickening-- and Elizabeth was already headed down the same path. She was going about this all wrong. Alex didn't need her by his side every moment, and she didn't need to be part of these people's deliberations. If there was a Hekatonkire at Aryan's Sanctum, she needed to find him and stop him ''now''
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| − | So she leaves. Elizabeth Holysword steps behind a cabinet and a dove flies off to find this creature who would kill her people.
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| − | '''Ryshassa: ''' Facing the other woman wreathed in flames and viridian, Ryshassa watches Kanti's lips move as if deeply entranced. The words are indeed, to her ears, words of immense, enticing power that before now had hidden in the shadows of her consciousness, obscured from view, from comprehension. Unconsciously, perhaps, she steps minutely closer... wanting to hear more... to ''feel'' more... she lifts Kanti's hands to her cheeks, pressing them there, reaching out to caress Kanti's face without breaking their connection in the slightest...
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| − | The floodgates are opened. Ryshassa gasps, stiffening from the great backlash of essence pouring in to flood her, her eyes opening wide, the irises flaring a vivid purple tinged with gold. Almost belatedly, she forces herself to focus, to give that massive flow ''purpose''. It spills from her in an intense display of sunset light, a storm of butterfly petals, delicately purple yet veined with distinct, hotly glowing bands of gold. Her own wings are brilliantly present as well, folding inward like a cocoon as the flurry of petals reaches its peak, shielding for a moment both she and Kanti from view.
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| − | Slowly, the storm begins to gentle. The butterfly blossoms hover in the air as if buoyed there, then gradually flutter down, alighting upon each and every person in the room. Each delicate construct embodies a measure of Essence, that when touched to the skin is thoroughly absorbed, revitalizing all those they touch.
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| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' If Moon had been more intent on watching the display of power and beauty unfolding before him and less on simply getting out the door, he might not have noticed. The unfolding array of fire and gold and flittering shapes swimming in the air around the two Exalts was actually almost enough to hide the movements of silver and white. Moon turned his head and watched as Alex's sister stepped behind the cabinet and seconds later streaked back into sight for an instant as a small white bird. His head turned further, tracking the princess until she had vanished completely out of sight.
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| − | Then he settled back onto the bed again and waited silently for Ryshassa and Kanti to finish. If princess stick-up-her-ass wanted to run off alone, it was her business. Be about damn time she actually ''did'' something anyway.
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| − | '''Kanti: ''' As the storm settles, and the butterflies begin to vanish, the murmur from Kanti's lips stops, her part in the giving of the gift of Creation complete, Ryshassa standing so close to her, glowing so strongly Kanti could taste the sunlight on the air, hands warm on Kanti's cheek, carrressing her, reassuring her despite the scars Ryshassa must feel beneath her fingers, how they must trouble the sunlight.
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| − | Kanti's lips don't have to move very far at all to find Ryshassa's, taking the last of the fountain of sunlight essence to fill herself with warmth, with sunshine, with essence, kissing her emphatically.
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| − | '''Ryshassa: ''' Ryshassa's eyes are widened for an entirely different reason now. She does not return the kiss... merely... stands there. Lips still slightly parted, where she felt Kanti's tongue enter, passionate and warm. ''...Tongue. Oh... my... what just happened? ''
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| − | ''Did she... just...? '' The healer lowers her hands and takes two steps back from Kanti, her pale cheeks quickly turning a deep red. She does not look angry, merely stunned. And uncertain.
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| − | At the very least, people have been restored, and that is a good thing. Ryshassa focuses on that particular truth. She turns to the others, hoping futilely no one had just seen that, willing herself to calm to a point that she can talk without sounding breathless. "That... should be enough. We should get moving, quickly. W-where's the Princess?" she asks, bewildered, when she no longer sees the female Holysword among the others.
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| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' "She took off while you'n the kid were swappin' spit," Moon shrugged. "Either ran the fuck off again or figured on tryin' ta handle shit all on her own. Don't matter for fuck either way, least she's outta our hair."
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| − | He cocked his head to the side. "We done or you'n Kanti wanna take a tumble before we go break shit?"
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| − | '''Kanti: ''' As Ryshassa pulls away, Kanti opens her opens her eyes with a start, roaming the room before focusing on Ryshassa's blushing face, a similar, though far deeper blush evidently colouring hers, especially as Moon passes comment.
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| − | "I ... am sorry, Lady Krausser. I ... it ..."<br>
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| − | ''I fell in love with the world to do that. ''<br>
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| − | ''you were the world... ''
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| − | ''I fell in love with you. ''
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| − | "Sorry." She whispers, her head falling.<br>
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| − | ''I love you. ''
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| − | '''Ryshassa: ''' "N-no!" Ryshassa says quickly, her head swiveling towards Moon. "I didn't even... she's the one who... never mind!" She just shakes her head impatiently. ''I'm a married woman for crying out loud! ''
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| − | "Let's just go! Kanti..." She does her very best to soften her expression, and says, gently, "Thank you for your help." Because she is thankful, all awkwardness aside.
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| − | ''' Seventh Moon: ''' "Suit yaselves," Moon shrugged indifferently.
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| − | ''Better fuckin' be somethin' left ta slap 'round when we get there... ''
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| − | Moon rose off the edge of the bed and slapped a little more soot of his coat before going to work rolling the sleeves up his arms. Now that he'd had time to think about it, the chance that Elizabeth might actually be going to deal with the problem on her own the chance that she might actually be able to deal with it on her own was only making him regret not following her out the door.
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| − | ''Cause if I don't least get ta break somethin' after all this shit, I'm gonna be '''really''' fuckin' unhappy. ''<br>
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| − | ''A'ite. '''More''' unhappy. ''
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| − | At least he felt a ''little'' better, after getting bathed in the aura's of the other two Exalts. Shaking out his shoulders, the Lunar moved to stand beside Ryshassa, breaking casually into the awkward moment with the sort of blind, boorish indifference to the situation you had to practice to really master.
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| − | "Hey, yeah, I forgot. Thanks for helpin' out back out there with Feathers 'n all, Doc." He said, offering a hand out towards her, Ebb peeling back away from his skin to offer an unfettered palm. "Guess we'll be seein' ya when we get back?"
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| − | '''Ryshassa: ''' Ryshassa seems almost... taken aback, at first, but takes the extended hand, knowing very well Moon's grip could easily crush hers. "Why... you are quite welcome. It is part of what makes me useful here." She realizes she had been assuming she would go with them, but she would be much more use helping Iselsis back to health, at least for now. And perhaps assisting when Leonas returned... ''oh, I hope they will return soon. ''
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| − | '''Alexander: ''' Bathed into their aura, the prince felt recharged. Renewed.
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| − | Ready to '''take on the world'''!
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| − | "Now, Liz, let us be gone from... Liz?"
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| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' "Yeah, we all do what we do best, y'know?" he agreed with a smile, his fingers closing over hers... and suddenly pulling back. Moon casually yanked the healer forward against him, drawing both their hands upwards behind him. His other arm engulfed her waist and pinned her tight as he bowed Ryshassa backwards. Chest to chest, his face hovering above her own with a wicked grin for only a moment before he closed his lips over hers.
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| − | What? Only Kanti and Selina got to kiss all the girls? Fuck that. If they were going to waste time on shit like that, he wanted a turn too!
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| − | '''Alexander: ''' ".... Moon." Right. Sometimes, this world was just... strange.
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| − | Here they were, running on the clock, and...
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| − | '''Ryshassa: '''Ryshassa lets out a yelp, quite helpless as Moon pins her and kisses her soundly on the lips. "...wh... mmmph... ''hey''!" she cries out as soon as she can breathe again. Flushed redder before, she can only hang there from his arms until he deigns to let her go.
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| − | "Please, Moon. I know my husband is away, but I am a married woman!" There, she has to say it aloud now. Twice is just too much! She twists in Moon's grip to look at Alexander quite apologetically.
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| − | '''Alexander: ''' The prince is trying very, very hard not to giggle. He is not wholly successful. For a moment, he forgets how weary he is. How many he has fought in this day, how many they have fought and broken... for a moment, he can only giggle, seeing Ryshassa get flustered by one after another... only he was left now. He giggled even more at the notion.... but they had to go. And so, he tried to mantain a straight face - managing it this time, for a narrow margin. "Very well, Moon, no more fooling around. Aryan's sancum is on his own temple, and that is a ways away from here. Me, you and Kanti are going there, as soon as we find my sister... I assume you can track her? And Ryshassa, can you try to keep them safe until we are done? Assuming this 'death' is gradual, those at death's door will need more help when it comes..."
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| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' Looking up through his bangs at Alex, Moon's brow sloped into a glare, but he pulled his lips from Ryshassa after a few more lingering seconds.
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| − | "Yeah, yeah. I know." He sighed at Alex, letting Ryshassa back up for air. "Gotta go save the fuckin' city 'n shit. ''Again''."
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| − | Alright. Maybe he was feeling more than just a ''little'' better.
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| − | "Tch, 'n what?" he asked, giving the healer a slanted grin. "He really gonna get that pissed on account'a somethin' lil as ''that''? Ya people gotta get ya fuckin' priorities straight. Anyway, thanks again Take care'a Red and Fiona good for us! Feathers too!"
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| − | Moon grinned at Ryshassa shamelessly, his palm giving her bottom a playful swat before he pulled away. The same hand was soon around Alex's arm, dragging the prince along towards door. "You were the one in a big damn hurry kid. Lets fuckin' go!"
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| − | "Just had ta thanks, y'know?" he was saying to Alex as he hauled the prince out the door. "Fuckin' rude not ta."
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| − | '''Alexander: ''' ... and he was dragged off, before Ryshassa could utter an answer.
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| − | "B, but... what about my sister?"
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| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' "She ain't done shit yet ta get thanked for, but I'll give her a go soon as she does."
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| − | '''Kanti: ''' ''And she loves another. ''<br>
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| − | ''and you knew that Kanti. ''
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| − | ''everyone does. ''
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| − | Kanti lets out a small sigh and gives Ryshassa a most apologetic look, whispering "Sorry ... Thank you." as she follows her prince and Moon from the room.
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| − | === Spire... ===
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| − | The link between Whiteshield, a country mostly grounded, and Windia, a country in the clouds.
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| − | And it did show.
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| − | Each and every building on it was at least four stories high. Each and every building on it, even the newer ones, trying to build vertically rather than horizontally, making a place with bridges far up, roads above, and a thousandfold places for the nests for the Windian's distant cousins, the myriad of birds. And of course, many ways for their predators, the myriad of cats, walk.
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| − | Elizabeth knew it. Some pretty big directional gods lived here. Helped the city remain quiet, gloomy, strange as it had always been, in prayer. And something else, of course, the city was afraid of itself. Of course, she did not mind. After all, she knew its noble side, and its God-Blooded nobility had no fear. She had met Levana of the Rain. She received a gift from Aryan of Cats. Avia of the Wings gave her tips on how to fly
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| − | Avia of the Wings. Monev the Gale. She knew them, from another age.
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| − | From parties on the Palace of Timeless Winters.<br>
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| − | Festivals for those gods.<br>
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| − | From her childhood.
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| − | Running in those streets....
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| − | Of course, by now, a good third of it was razed, in ruins. A second third had been razed, but among the broken buildings rose bigger buildings of ivory and ice that had not been touched yet, shining ominous as they connected to the others in all-too-familiar, but all-too-alien angles. The remaining thirds scorched by fire, essence, and claws - a destruction that aimed solely at lives. Right now, there were few more civilians alive in Spire than there were people in the army that liberated it.
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| − | But the Temples all still stood. The geat Circle of Temples around the city, all visible from afar. Each and every one a towering palace.... She knew about it, and she knew about the temple of Aryan, God of Cats. And the dove saw it on sight... but just as the Church, it had been desecrated. The great cats standing up on their legs had their heads chopped out, and there was the writing... all over it.
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| − | The place seemed quiet.
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| − | But for one able to see spirits, the Blood Angel could see them. The sentries. Ghosts.
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| − | * Oh, they disguised it well. Quite well. To someone not versed in Necromancy, those would be just a bunch of cracks made by strikes of arrows, blades, and tusks. Many cracks, but still... random. But the Blood Angel knows it. The cracks are a Necromantic Pattern. A very intricate one. It does not appear to be a defensive one, however.
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| − | '''Elizabeth Holysword: ''' Elizabeth circles the church several times, taking measure of the necromantic signs-- thankful that the necromantic practice was, if nothing else, rather predictable. It takes her a while, but eventually she decides on a broken window, and shifts from dove to crow before descending. After all, only a carrion eater would even begin to approach a place so tainted as this.
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| − | * The Blood Angel dives into the great temple... passing through three sentinel ghosts, each with fifty eyes that burn in a silent way. She goes through each and every one of them, none of them able to sense her. And then, she finds herself in its great altar... and thanks to her hearthstone, she sees the entrance to the sanctum, and has the means to walk within it...
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| − | '''Elizabeth Holysword: ''' The crow pecks about a bit and, assured she is undetected, hops down to the entrance to the sanctum and inside, hoping Alex and the rest don't just barge in... It would be quite a mess.
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| − | * Inside, Liz sees.... a forest. A forest of so many trees, most made by man. It is a big maze, full of tapestries for a cat to climb over, full of branches he can use to get from place to place.. and full of gems, all sorts of glittering gems, attached to each and every tree, shining so prettily. Hard to know if the trees were ever black, or if they became so now. She can easily see the game that would run here, all manners of little creatures that would be at home for the felines to catch. And a part of her that is the First Age waters its mouth at the thought... but there is nothing now.<br><br>Nothing moves. Nothing at all.<br><br>But over this great cathedral, far, far up a sinuous path of branches... there is a lavish palace. And from that palace comes deep crimson light, and around it, many crows and eagles and raitons fly... cawing. Calling for the crimson light, that is spreading...
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| − | '''Elizabeth Holysword: ''' Elizabeth flutters up to the branches of the forrest, scratching at the limbs and examining them to see if they are charred, and perhaps a part of the spell being wrought.
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| − | * They are charred, and have been burned - although all the gems have been meticulously cleaned, as has the forest itself. But they are naturally dark underneath... and they seem to not be affected by the red lights either. They were burnt a while ago.
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| − | '''Elizabeth Holysword: ''' Elizabeth cocks her head quizzically, worrying at the wood in an avian gesture that roughly translates as 'Hmm'. She didn't think they were part of the spell, and if they were, there was no knowing the end effect. She shakes her head, and approaches the growing light, hoping for a chanting zombie or something she could just hit and make things well. It wouldn't be the first time... no, she had a '''lot''' of experience with them in fact, and too much of it was spent at the necromancer's side.
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| − | '''Narrator: ''' She goes to the gleaming light.... and sees....
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| − | And sees within the palace. And sees the ritual. There is a man there. He is tall, exceedingly tall. His flesh is silver and black, forming a natural armor. He is lean, strong, powerful... necromantic power seeming to come out of him, rubies encrusted on his flesh, natural as eyes for all other creatures, shining with this power. His shoulders, the back of his forearms, and his head are full of... spikes, of sorts, And in the middle of his forehead, almost like a caste mark, is a large gem... of a blue-green hue, the likes of which Elizabeth had never seen before. And this creature calls the Neverborn, creating a well within the Sanctum... a well of void.
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| − | To his side, there is a creature like the one she had killed on arrival. A Redrum. And yet one much more... regal. A finished version. Standing vigil over his master, burning low, eyes looking at anything that might disrupt their ritual.... including birds.
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| − | ... and speaking of birds.
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| − | Avia, Goddess of Wings from Spire is there... floating slowly above the well. It is her and it is not her... as she is pale now. Her feathers ashen. Her jewels are rubies and onyx and diamonds. And she floats, laughing as she taunts the figure chained above the well... Aryan, god of cats. Slapping him. Mocking him. Resplendent in the Underworld as she is... and commanding all birds to chant with them!
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| − | Elizabeth Holysword notices many things. Her knowledge of Necromancy is, after all, through.
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| − | There are markings within this Palace... they are the same as the ones outside, in the Temple. And they are reacting to the ritual. The markings... they are what is channeling the ritual! But she can see the model in the ritual Circle... it is not only there... it is throughout Spire. Spire is like Whitewall - it has a Circle of temples which increases its prayers tenfold; It is no surprise the directional gods of Rain and Cats would move there to bask in its energy, why Amaranthine, Silver Shield lived there, why Avia and Monev are so strong. And this same grid will increase the power of the ritual tenfold... murdering everything living within!
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| − | She hears some of Avia's speech... she appears to be angry. Very, very angry with a certain Priest she sent Monev to kill. For having used one of the eyes... another seems to be on her hand... and blown up the temple. That would slow them down for sure... but one link would not stop the ritual. They would need to bring the other temples down...
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| − | ... and she also notices Avia and the Birds around her seem to be looking at her very intently...
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| − | '''Elizabeth Holysword: ''' Elizabeth is so busy reading the signs of Necromancy, that she fails to notice the birds taking a distinct interest in her general whereabouts. When she does notice, it is with a sudden trepidation... not because she was worried they could hurt her, but that they might delay her too long. Yet she doesn't betray that emotion, she pecks at a twig on the ground a few times, testing it for appropriate properties for nesting purposes... or something... she would let the bird goddess make the first move, if she was indeed seen.
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| − | '''Avia: ''' She slaps Aryan again. "Wait a minute, dear hunter. I have a little hunting of my own to do."
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| − | Her voice is haughty as she laughs, her laugh dissolving into the voice of so many birds... as she flies out of the window, and many of the birds begin to sing, falling at the tree as Elizabeth... "So... what do we have here? Just a Little Bird, is it? Just another little crow? Why is it... that I do not sense you as mine?" She raises her head. She looks down with ashen eagle eyes, her hands with talons, as a predator of air...
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| − | '''Elizabeth Holysword: ''' The crow which is Elizabeth flutters as she is surrounded by crows, scowling at them and Avia... which is pretty much the natural state for a crow, so her disguise remains intact. ''Maybe because you're so tained, we little birds are turning against you. Just a thought. ''
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| − | Putting on a mien of avian annoyance, she jabs at one of the birds that make up Avia's body with her beak. ''Do it then, and make it look good. ''
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| − | '''Avia: ''' Avia looks up... "Oh, so it is that? You challenge me? All the ''others'' still follow me. I am ''supreme'' pretty little crow. And soon, they will be all Raitons when they follow me to the netherworld! I would say you can... but it is better if I make an example of you, little bird." And with that, she swipes, her claws coming to the little crow... and crushing.
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| − | '''Elizabeth Holysword: ''' Elizabeth's small avian bones snap like twigs under the great god's strength... sort of... If Avia were to loosen her grip and squeeze again, those same tiny bones would break again, like some sick and twisted squeeze-toy that always pops back to its original shape.
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| − | ''Yes, like that. crush the little dissenter and feed her to your-- no wait, skip the feeding part, I don't need to go through '''that''' again''
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| − | '''Avia: ''' She looks at the crushed hand... "See. This is what those that do not agree get."
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| − | She crushes a little more. "I thought I had gotten rid of your damn music in the first weeks... I do not care if you love here. We are going to the Underworld... Spire is over for the Creation-bound. I am taking you all to ''life'' my pretties. Life eternal..." She opens the hand, letting the broken bird fall... "For ''almost'' all of us. Now come. Let us peck the entrails of our ''most dreaded hunter'' some more."
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| − | '''Elizabeth Holysword: ''' ''Yeah, well... who needs entrails anyway? ''
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| − | '''Avia: ''' Avia flies back, giggling to herself, into the window of the Palace once again... the crimson light glowing more and more intense... and Elizabeth hears the incantation to the Malfeas continue, as well as the new screams of the god of Cats as the crows peck on his skin....
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| − | '''Elizabeth Holysword: ''' You wouldn't think rolling out of sight would be hard for Elizabeth, but for all her shapeshifting mastery... Birds just aren't <u>really</u> meant to roll. She manages though, with the help of a little crawling, flapping, and only a little bit of scrabbling. Once she was out of sight, she hops upright, and leaves the cat-god to the birds... She was free to act again, now, but the fact remained she needed to act. She could count on Alex and the rest to deal with things here, she would go to the other temples and make sure the spell went incomplete.
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| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/SeventhMovement|Seventh Movement]]
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| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/DanceOfAngels|A Dance of Angels]]
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