GoldenCat/SpiralOfChange01

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War of the Angels

Elizabeth Holysword: Elizabeth grips Ainerach's handle tightly as she brings it about once more, in a perfectly executed riposte on an invisible opponent. She holds the position for a second... two... and drops the sword, collapsing over after it gasping for breath, though not from exhaustion. I can't do this... I can't use it...

But I may have to.

She gets up again and reaches for the sword with cold, numb hands-- but hesitates. Why? Fear? Am I afraid of it? She grabs the sword in a bout of frustration and jams it point-first into the cold marble floor of the room she'd taken for her own. "Damn that boy!"

Vorpal: You.

She stalks down the passageway like a winter storm.

The mantle of the Lady of Winter rustles around her with every step, the snow linings spiralling and sparkling like a cold hail in her wake. White and red of the cloak mixes with trailing wisps of smoky-black essence.

You.

Her face is a blank alabaster mask, but her eyes are wide and her gaze is intense. Each step falls into the floor like a hammer. The location of the woman she seeks was blurted to her by her Prince and like a bird of prey, she homes in towards that certain door in the corridor without error.

She draws back her hand while still taking the final stride to the door. Her fist flies forth and slams against the doorframe with a boom that makes the wall shake.

You.

Elizabeth Holysword: Elizabeth looks up, startled at the crash that almost takes the door off its hinges. She looks to Ainerach, then the door, and lets go of the sword with an exhasperated sigh. What now? She approaches the door swiftly, hands twitching nervously from so much contact with Ainerach. She grabs the door handle and does rip it off its hinges to come face-to-face with Alex's Abyssal harlot. "You." she sneers, sweat-soaked locks of silver hair framing her not-cute-at-all-right-now expression "What do you want?"

Vorpal: Much of the Pale Angel is obscured by the gigantic black blade she flicks ahead of her into the room, but what part of her is visible looks downright furious.

While waiting for an answer, the Pale Angel draws her sword from her back. As soon as the door opens, she allows the weapon to tip forward, the sheer mass of soulsteel heavy and intimidating as it pushes into the doorway between the two women. Much of the Pale Angel is obstructed by the broad blade, but what part of her is visible looks downright furious

"Elizabeth Holysword", she announces loudly, her voice hard and clear like ice in midwinter morning, words dropping like needles onto sensitive skin. "I have an offer for you. I will come in now."

Elizabeth Holysword: "Lovely" Elizabeth says dryly around the mass of black steel which Elizabeth is actually quite comfortable with. "Yes come in, why no, I wasn't in the middle of anything, why would you ask? Do I look like I might not be in the mood to talk right now? Of course not! My door is always open!... especially now but hey, I bet you won't even notice the draft what with being a horrible frigid bitch and all..."

Vorpal: "My offer is this", Vorpal raises her voice slightly, obviously not at all interested in hearing what the other woman has to say. The blade sways dangerously. The Ghost-Blooded is holding it aloft with one hand. "You will undo what you did to Alexander Holysword. In return, I will not chop your legs off. "

Elizabeth Holysword: Elizabeth sighs. "Threats. Right. Lovely. Way to go Alex, your lover is such a nice and sensible person I don't know what I was thinking when I suggested she mightn't have your best interests at heart... Well, okay Lady, lets get this over with. If you think a little limb loss is going to deter me, you have no idea who you're talking to."

Vorpal: Vorpal's response is short, but rather efficient.

She does not blink. She does not twich her lips. The Betrayer simply turns into a blur and comes down on Liz with a whoosh.

Elizabeth Holysword: --instantly bisecting Elizabeth's body down the center which just as instantly reknits itself with a tangle of milky moonlight and crimson blood. Unfazed, Elizabeth lifts of a foot and stamps down on the Daiklaive to keep it where it landed between her legs. "...fuck woman, LEGS! You said legs! Has anyone ever told you your aim sucks?"

Unfortunately, two seconds later, Elizabeth remembers there isn't an item of clothing in the world that can survive the same things she can, so that speach probably didn't have the weight she'd intended. "Jeez look what you did..." she mumbles, taking a strand of hair and snapping her fingers, blossoming it into a silver robe.

"There, feel better now?"

Vorpal: Vorpal does blink at the extreme nonchalance by which the woman takes the blow. Fortunately, she did half-expect something like that to happen. It seemed to her things usually went somehow along these lines with Lunars.

"Legs were more like a guideline", she explains, seeming surprisingly reasonable for a moment. Even as she speaks, the Ghost-Blooded calls upon one of her Arcanoi, adjusting her eyesight so that she can see the aura of the other woman's Essence. "In case you don't know, it's just another way to say 'I will hurt you'. But if you insist..."

Vorpal twists the sword so that the razor-sharp soulsteel edge turns up against the bottom of Elizabeth's foot. Then, with just as much nonchalance as with the previous blow, she yanks the weapon into an upwards slash.

Elizabeth Holysword: Elizabeth loses halfl a foot and through sheer chance, her right arm is lost at the elbow, tossing her back. Without those particular pieces, she finds it hard to keep her balance and crumples to the ground. "Should I get up or are you going to keep thisi up?" she asks flatly as she props herself up on Ainerach without wating for a response. "You of course, realize you're not doing much to raise my oppinion of you? A pitty, I was so hoping he was right when he said you were the sweetest thing since saccharine.

Vorpal: "He is right, actually", Vorpal smiles with terrible sweetness as she strides across the room to Elizabeth. No blood drips onto the floor from her blade. The crimson stains sink into the black metal instead, absorbed by the ravenous souls without a sound. "I am sweet. You won't believe it, I suppose, but I truly am nice and friendly to people who earn it. But you?"

The Pale Angel had halted to a Grand Daiklave's length from the wounded Exalt. Raising her sword once again, she points the soulsteel tip at Elizabeth's midsection. "You behave like someone trying very hard to be a mean bitch and failing miserably. I would ignore you if you rambled by yourself, but if you spread your problems onto Alex or other people I feel responsible for, I will get angry. In case you did not notice, I am not nice when I am angry."

She leans over the sword, red eyes wide, the gaze in them strong enough to nail down loose floorboards. "Repent, little girl", she growls. "It is your only chance. Repent, or I will chop off a few more limbs. After that, I will tear open your belly and let the insides flop onto the floor. After that, I might flay your skin off your bones and then sit back to watch how you heal yourself with your Lunar mumbo-jumbo so that I can start all over again. I have all day for this."

She pauses, and the terrible smile returns. "Still feeling like it? Oh, good."

And with those words, she plungs the sword towards the Lunar's midsection.

Alexander: He ran through the corridors, still dressing himself!

It took a good few moments to understand what she was going to do, after she found out. After she shock, after the shame, after he tried to explain. Too much, too much... he should know, and yet it took too long for him to realise just what she would do when she got there. Or pehaps he did, and the shame over it all kept him frozen in place. Not even he could say, anymore...

... and thus, exasperated, the prince of Whiteshield bursts into the room, dressed in a simple white legs and shirt, to see his lady splashed with blood, blood on the ground, and his sister... "Stop it milady! Stop trying to kill my sister!"

Elizabeth Holysword: The blade skewers Elizabeth like shish-kabob and stays there while she heals around it, which was a decidedly uncomfortable yet familiar feeling. Yet when Vorpal looks at her prey she sees... her lover Alex! The faux-Alex smirks "Sounds fun. Can you do it?"

Vorpal: Her white hair whisking in air with the sudden movement, Vorpal throws over her shoulder a glance that tells Alex to Sit. Stay.

"I am not trying to kill her", she responds, chillingly, with venomous words. "I am hurting her. Or, rather, warming up a bit before hurting her."

Turning back to Elizabeth, she smiles to the face of the belowed Prince she sees there. "Did I ever say you look so beautiful with your blood on your face?"

The Pale Angel twists the sword violently, tearing the wound back open. "You Lunars are so convenient for this."

Her boots slide on the marble floor as she shifts into a more solid stance. Taking a hold of the sword with both hands, she begins to move it in a widening spiral, like carving a hole into an apple. Over the gruesome act, she adds in a conversational tone: "Elizabeth, what you are doing here is just plain infantile. In the time I have been here, you have not said a single sensible word. Grow up already. Creation has enough childish Exalts as it is."

Alexander: ".... Liz, this is creepy. Stop this. Please."

Blood came from the wound. And the spiral of the sword...
It made Alex sick. It made his eyes widen, worry touching him..
. She has a limit, she has to have it, and Lilith... Lilith doesn't know...

"Milady, this is hurting her! Stop it, please!"

Vorpal: "Oh, good."

She smiles thinly. There is a red glow beginning to light her eyes from within.

Elizabeth Holysword: Elizabeth coughs up blood from Vorpal's little game of how-bad-can-I-make-myself-look, yet still through the pain, she grins at the Abyssal. "Ch--childish, am I? I set forth a challenge. A-an easy one if you were true to him. S--seems you weren't. Do what you will t-t-to me, it'sss worth it for Alex."

Selina de Windia: There are shadows in every room...at least ones which have not been perfectly illuminated by a combination of light sources. The shadows in those corners and nooks move. A little Selina comes out of each one, cute and small, little scythe held in her arms as she flies out to the spot behind Elizabeth and the rest, little black shadowy wings fluttering quickly as she giggles. The little shadow Selinas combine, until they all turn into one big shadow, representative of the real thing. The shadow then turns into the real thing, grinning with a horribly amused expression.

"Don't you think there's a better way to handle this?" She asks sweetly. "All of you. Including you, little miss cockblocker. Or should I say...cock-stealer?"

Vorpal: The smile melts away from her face. The sword stops, but does not withdraw from the Lunar's body.

"You have no right to decide what is good for him or not. Where were you when he needed you the most? Where were you when Whiteshield was destroyed? Where were you when his family and his subjects were slain? And now you come traipsing in here as if you owned the land and mold his body to your liking, just because you think it is good for him."

Vorpal shakes her head, the crimson glow bright in her eyes. "Just who the fuck do you think you are?"

Alexander: He boggles as he looks at the little Selinas... so many, little Selinas...

And her words. Her words, so simple, so right...

He does not say hello to her, however... or anything of the sort, not the time, and her words, the fact she knows it alone, hurting. But he does follow her... trying not to think of Elizabeth's remark. Not now, not right now. "She is right. There must be a way to handle this. A better way... Milady. She set forth a challenge for us. To prove we have love, not lust. We proved that last night, right?" He looks at the Dark Angel, cringing, as if hoping it would not arouse her jealously, her anger. "We can do it." He says, his hand going for hers', taking her hands of the blade, glad his sister has taken it out of herself... "I love you, and you know it. I have said so. You are my lady, you are my heart, and when I thought I had crushed your dreams I felt the void take me."

"We can do it with love, instead of violence."

And then I can find out who this sister of mine has sold her soul to...

Elizabeth Holysword: Suddenly faux-Alex's smiling face twists into one of distain. She grabs the Daiklaive with both hands and shove it out the side of her midsection. "Where was I?" she asks mockingly as blood drips down the mess that is what's left of her stomach. A flash of milky moonlight arcs across her skin leaving her whole and herself again-- if not quite uninjured. Rough splintered cuts remain where Vorpal had cut her... purely for Alex's benefit. "I was half way across creation--" she says as she takes a step closer to Vorpal, mad with spite, and with that step, the room ripples with essence.

Elizabeth's Lunar anima ignites with a chill and all the blood in the room hardens to a glossy red shell. Then, the crescent of her caste mark fills out with the black of void and the air ignites with the colors of-- not sorcery, necromancy. The cold hardened blood cracks under their feet, as Elizabeth's shadow... gets up. "--in fucking THORNS selling my soul to learn what I could to protect my Kingdom." Layers of blood and bone, sheer across the surface of the shadow, crackling like ice as they harden, layer after layer after layer detailed with silver filligree that was once Elizabeth's liquid-silver hair (one of which coincidentally, covers Elizabeth herself to replace the second dress Vorpal had ruined in as many minutes). Skin after skin of bone solid as steel and blood as stone until it dominates the room, four heads taller and better endowed than anyone there, an intricate statue of ivory and silver with as much frightning beauty as any Abyssal.

"THAT'S where the fuck I was so WILL YOU PEOPLE QUIT BRINGING IT UP ALREADY?!"

Alexander: He boggles as he looks at the little Selinas... so many, little Selinas...

And her words. Her words, so simple, so right...

He does not say hello to her, however... or anything of the sort, not the time, and her words, the fact she knows it alone feeling so... strange. But he does follow her... trying not to think of Elizabeth's remark. Not now, not right now. But he could not keep watching as his girlfriend hurt his sister so. "She is right. There must be a way to handle this. A better way... Milady. She set forth a challenge for us. To prove we have love, not lust. We proved that last night, right?" He looks at the Dark Angel, cringing, as if hoping it would not arouse her jealously, her anger. "We can do it." He says, his hand going for hers', taking her hands of the blade, letting it fall to the ground, glad his sister has taken it out of herself... "I love you, and you know it. I have said so. You are my lady, you are my heart, and when I thought I had crushed your dreams I felt the void take me."

"We can do it with love, instead of violence."

And then I can find out who this sister of mine has sold her soul to...

Alex tried not to think of the thing Liz was creating...

Hoping she would stop too, that they all would stop, that he could salvage it...

Selina de Windia: "So the good little princess who would presume to judge us, was off in Thorns. Swearing to Mask of Winters? Over what?" Selina's tone drips contempt, though her smile remains. "What a farce."

She steps up behind Elizabeth, no weapon drawn, not seeming to threaten a thing. Not touching that...thing, either. Yet. Her voice is a silky purr, almost a whisper. "Tell me, Princess. Do you honestly think you are the only one who could ever undo that? Two other Lunars, afterall. Oh dear, just how do you think this dysfunctional circle ever worked before you showed up? Diving into the deep end, only got you into a deep vat of something else."

The smile disappears, she steps back and away. "Just got done fighting with the Pale Angel for weeks." Her figure crackles with energy of the void. Her eyes go black. "Not going to put up with more of this shit from the rest of you. You'll all stop it, right now."

Elizabeth Holysword: Elizabeth glares at Selina. "No, no I'm not unique. That's the fuckin' point. I know exactly what it is you and your mistress do to people like Alex. Tell me I'm wrong. Tell me the Lover doesn't want to twist him into her own little pet, do it under oath and I'll believe you."

Vorpal: Vorpal had lifted her sword when the Lunar began to change. She hadn't raised the weapon into a battle stance, however, but tossed its heavy blade to rest against her shoulder. A relaxed enough gesture, though those who have seen her fighting know that it is, in fact, one of her favorite stances even in the middle of a battle. The heated glow is bright in her eyes and - it might be a trick of the flickering light, it seems as if some dark markings are beginning to creep across her face, inky-black streaks sliding soundlessly from under her hairline and coiling up her white cheeks. The teeth she bares in a grin seem a little too white. The flash and flare of Essence make them seem sharper than they should be.

She is already drawing breath to spit something scathing about the situation, but then... something that should not happen takes place, and, briefly, the Ghost-Blooded is left standing with her mouth half-open, staring at the crackling darkness surrounding the Dark Angel.

That... is...

Selina de Windia: ...what?

Selina stares, dumbfounded, at Elizabeth, and shivers a bit from that comment. Her left eye twitches.

The dam finally bursts.

"I didn't go through all that SHIT for WEEKS, just to listen to some runaway princess bitch from the god-damned provinces second-guess me, when she's been swearing to the MASK OF FUCKING WINTERS! " Selina yells with the malevolent undertone of the void in her speech, the pent up fury finally releasing. Her smile is totally gone now. The darkness begins gravitating to her, from all corners of the room. Being sucked inward. "I DIDN'T SPIT IN THE LOVER'S FACE FOR THE GOLDEN BRAT'S SAKE JUST SO HIS SILVER BRAT SISTER COULD ACT LIKE SHE CAN JUDGE ME!"

She levels an arm at Liz, blackness veiling it from view of the normal world, a charge of Oblivion gathering about it. "I'M GONNA FUCKING KILL YA! "

Alexander: Vorpal's hands are alone, not having golden light closing over them anymore.

The next moment, he is in front of the Dark Angel, holding her arms, eyes narrow to her face...

"No, you are not! For what? The crime of worrying about me?!? "

He can feel the void about him. He can feel it begin to burn. But he is a Zenith, and for her, for them, he would endure..."She cares about me, you care about me, now for Sun's sake, stop this madness! " He cries, his face filled with the pain of seeing those he loves, those close to him hate themselves like this... for him. It is his fault. It is all his fault, and none other, that they fight for him, this play for his virtue that has gone on so long...

Maybe I should have had gone to Red Ice already....

Then, they would not fight...

Tears stream down his eyes, as he looks up at the Dark Angel...

"You all care! Why are you doing this?!?"

Vorpal: The Pale Angel seems oblivious to the screamed words and the terrible inrush of dark Essence. Her sword resting forgotten on her shoulder, she frowns and lifts her free hand before her eyes. She flexes her fingers, as if squeezing something invisible between them.

Nothing.

Then how...?

"It's because we care", she suddenly says. Her voice is soft, yet the razor edge in it somehow cuts over the roar of power. The glow in her eyes is dimming. The streaks begin to withdraw. "Many terrible mistakes have been made only because the people who made them cared."

Elizabeth Holysword: As soon as Selina has threatened Elizabeth, the massive monolith move between her mistress and the Abyssal-- not a word is spoken.

Elizabeth on the other hand... totally ignores the display. "Don't look at me Alex, I gave my terms, you accepted them with Ryshassa as witness. If you ask me-- your Abyssal seems a mite more upset than she should be over the concept of a week without your cock. Either she's being threatened from another quarter or... well, it would be impolite to comment on the other possibility." She shifts her view to said Abyssal tramp. "If you wish, we can do it now. If Alex hasn't told you I'll say it now. My only stipulation was that you two prove what you have is love not lust, that he cares such for you-- which he has done in my estimation-- and that you will choose him over your mistress, should it come to that-- and it will-- and WILL YOU PLEASE SHUT THE FUCK UP AND POINT THAT FUCKING HAND SOMEWHERE ELSE ALREADY, SELINA?! "

Vorpal: Vorpal snaps back from her reverie at that. "Oh, quit your yapping already", she replies with a venomous tone that, somehow, manages to be quiet enough to fill the room with a thunderous roar. The Ghost-Blooded allows her hand to drop and looks up at the necromantic machine. "I'm still waiting for you to answer my question. What makes you think you can judge what is good for him? You may be a mighty necromancer, you may have sold your soul away for the good of your little province, but that changes nothing. Alex is twice the Exalt you are and thrice as smart as you are. Otherwise, you wouldn't be waggling your tongue at someone who can wipe you out of existence like a spec of dust from her shoulder..." Her voice turns into a snarl and her eyes begin to narrow again. "You're not worthy of judging him. In fact, you're not worthy of licking his shoes clean of mud."

Alexander: "No. She is" He turns, pointing at the Pale Angel...

"And you will respect my sister." He nods. "How different is that from what the Dark Angel did?"

"Sun's sake, Lilith, you both serve the Lover. Would you trust yourselves if you didn't know better?!?"

Elizabeth Holysword: "Stupid? I'm stupid? I trust my immortality. You on the other hand haven't realized how easy this is to end-- oh, not to mention if she does kill me, well, you can say goodbye to my brothers' love forever... in more ways than one."

Vorpal: The Pale Angel lets out an exasperated sigh at that. Her shoulders slouch. The movement is magnified by the sheer length of her Daiklave and the sword's tip rises sharply upwards in response.

She closes her eyes and runs her free hand through her hair. "See? That's the best proof of love you can ever see. A true lover is always ready to argue with you, even when it's him you are trying to defend." She favors the Solar prince in question with a very venomous glance. "Thank you very much, darling."

Alexander: The prince buries his face on his right hand, trembling...

"... can't you defend me without attacking her? Please?"

Vorpal: "In case you did not notice", the Ghost-Blooded responds with an edged tone, "your sister is not of the sort to listen to anyone else but herself."

Alexander: "Yes, she is." He says, his voice higher, stronger than it should be.

"She is an insufferable, self-righteous bitch who left me sexually frustrated for a week now. And put me on a dress. And bullied me when we were ltitle. You don't even want to hear about the horse." He nods, walking towards his lady... "But she loves me. She cares about me. She has been hurt - so much - by you because she wanted me safe. Lover's Deathknight. Fear of the Whole North. Lady of Blades. Face of Death. That is all she knows of you..."

"... and her first impression is you trying to kill her. And you are so alike. You are as inflexible as she is, and you know it very well, Milady. So just stop that! Show who you truly are!"

Vorpal: "Do not compare me to a slut like her, you faithless little brat!" Vorpal snaps in return, wheeling around to face Alex in full. "I came here because she's been traipsing over your rights like you were her slave! She could have easily avoided getting hurt if she had only had had the brains to listen to me from the get-go instead of trying to size her tits with me! I can't believe you've let yourself be bullied around by someone like her! What kind of a Prince are you anyway?"

Alexander: Now, that hurt! The prince does indeed have his pride, and that hurt! "I am not being bullied!" He says, angrily turning to his sister, "I just did not want to fight! But nobody is bullying me! And I am nobody's slave! Liz! " He points to her, shouting. "Turn me back. And make me older! now! "

Vorpal: Vorpal's breath catches in her throat there. "Now wait a second", she exclaims, striding over to grab the Prince by his wrist. "There are other women around! You are not going to start showing off your dick here, you pimp!"

Elizabeth Holysword: Elizabeth roughly takes hold of Vorpal's armor. "I am not the slut here, Abyssal. I have loved one man in my life-- one man. Now enough! If you were even listening, I already said Alex had held up his end. I'll change him back-- you however still require.my approval. Ainerach will remain with me."

Alexander: "No. " He does not want Ainerach. He wants her to stay with it.

But now... well... it is the principle of the thing!

"You will give me Ainerach back, too! I am not handling it over to them!"

He does nto reply to the Pale Angel. He doesn't know how to!

Elizabeth Holysword: Elizabeth smiles inwardly. Of course he would object-- that was her only chance at redeeming this godawful mess of a plan. She hadn't thought the Abyssal would be so adamant against reason. Either she's been threatened by her Mistress.. or I underestimated her pride. I can't be sure, but... anger is most often honest..

"I will not. The blade is mine by right. I may have connections to the Mask but they are void should he move against me or mine. She--" Elizabeth glances at the fuming Deathknight "--cannot say the same."

Alexander: "She is not the one wielding Ainerach, Sister." He says. His eyes sparkle with the light of the Zenith, pointing at her with burning light... and still on the Pale Angel's grasp. It was a strange thing, to try to look so important and grand with a woman that's twice your height holding your neck. "I am, and I will keep it safe."

Vorpal: This catches Vorpal off guard and what else she is about to say never leaves her tongue. She stares at Alex for a long moment, the surprise quickly replaced by swelling pride.

She lets go of his hand slowly, and steps back, out of the way of two Holyswords.

This is something she shall not interrupt. Not now.

Elizabeth Holysword: "She can kill you, Alex. She can take you to her mistress where you will swear undying loyalty. She may not even have a choice in the matter." Elizabeth turns and walks over to where Ainerach stands-- the blood of steel that covers the floor of the room doesn't seem to have touched the blade. She pulls the sword out of the marble floor with a *chink* and points it at Vorpal... feeling almost as if it were she under Ainerach's arc. "I want to know that she will die for you."

In the blink of an eye Elizabeth swings the blade-- into her foul necromantic construct. The ivory darkens and cracks where she strikes-- a second later the whole thing turns to dust.

Her eyes narrow at Alex. "By your hand, if it comes to that."

Vorpal: "I suppose you want it proven now", Vorpal speaks up with a slanted, half-amused smile. "Fine."

The sword falls to the floor with a slam that seems to shake the very foundations of the building. The soulsteel armor begins to flow down her torso like ink, revealing the dark leotard she happens to be wearing underneath. The black substance drips off her body and abruptly solidfies back into the breastplate, which falls clattering to the floor.

The Pale Angel places her hands onto her hips and turns to fully face the Lunar. "Give your best shot, then."

Alexander: The prince does nothing, now, but watch.

And under his breath, pray.
And under his breath, hope.
And under his breath, trust.

Elizabeth Holysword: Elizabeth sighs. "Actually I was going to give you a week and you were to come up with the method yourself. I'd be more comfortable with an oath, but--" Elizabeth steps forward in the same quick motion she'd made a second ago, piercing the Pale Angel's skin with the blade she'd come to hate over the past week. The blade slides masterfully between Vorpal's ribs, only stopping a hair's bredth from her lung and heart. Elizabeth shifts her stance and-- removes the blade gently.

"I am satisfied." she says with finality, and buries the tip in the marble floor once more.

"For now."

---

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