[Mini Event] To See and Pray [OPEN TO ALL] - Printable Version +- Court of the Fallen (https://cotf-rpg.com) +-- Forum: Out of Character (https://cotf-rpg.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=26) +--- Forum: Important (https://cotf-rpg.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=27) +---- Forum: Archives (https://cotf-rpg.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=38) +---- Thread: [Mini Event] To See and Pray [OPEN TO ALL] (/showthread.php?tid=785) |
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RE: To See and Pray [OPEN TO ALL] - Kristopher - 03-13-2019
RE: To See and Pray [OPEN TO ALL] - Deimos - 03-13-2019
RE: To See and Pray [OPEN TO ALL] - Rory - 03-14-2019 It seemed his target was ill-chosen, if you disregarded the fact that she'd been perfect for igniting this whole wildfire raging around them. Because this one, it bit right back. Her eyes were like ice. Her voice a steady, sharp thing, cutting through the din and chaos Rory had unwittingly helped unleash. It made the breath catch in his chest, made the air coming past his lips feel frozen. It wasn't like she was some gods-sent voice of reason, but it was the way she packaged it: sharp sharp sharp Because what she was saying wasn't very revolutionary; Rory wasn't delusional enough to think dozens of people from places he couldn't even wrap his head around stood waiting for portals, chanting hymns and prayers for the chance to destroy the Caido he had known his entire life. If anything, the countless prayers of Naturals who wanted prosperity and answers were probably more to blame than the Outlanders themselves. Rory was guilty of these dreams, too. But there it was again, the words nestled in among others, hitting that old, old bruise again: We’re trying to better it. He had tried to shake off the feeling of their existence having been weighed and measured and found wanting; he had really, really tried to convince himself that the judging stares and the desire to be out of here was all in his paranoid, anxious head, and not the truth. Yet there it was again. They were trying to better it, implying that it wasn't good enough, that whatever far-away worlds they came from had higher standards, better everything, and Caido, Caido was just plain lacking. Why couldn't it be good enough? Why couldn't it be good enough for them, too? In that moment, he looked more hurt than angry. Then she said what could only mean that she had been the one to let him and Jigano into the Temple during Long Night. Part of him was grateful—how couldn't he be?—and part of him thought it was a really, really shitty way to excuse herself. [say]"You should've let me die,"[/say] he ended up growling to her as he left most of the others behind, hearing Deimos's gentle questions again, his attempts to guide them all back to a saner, more productive mindset. Rory wondered if it wasn't too late for that. Or too early. And he didn't know what to make of it, with it, just married it to his guilt and set it aside in a box labeled for later introspection. And through it all—through his blind anger, his bitter, still-vexed regret, the cooling of guilt— Yet there they were, aside from the others, Jigano's darker knuckles brushing against the back of Rory's hand as he asked if he could stay. In a way, it felt like there was more to the question than just this moment, an echo of the time Rory had expressed his desire for many more days of helping Isuma 'fly'. He reached for Jigano's hand, to clasp it gently with warm, still-trembling fingers, to turn it palm up and restlessly trace the lines there with a fingertip. [say]"Of course,"[/say] he said quietly, wanting to ask why he had followed, why he wanted to stay, if he thought Rory lesser for his outburst. But he said none of those things. They were not what mattered now. Instead, he raised his gaze from Jigano's hand, to watch the struggle near the Spire. And it was nothing like it'd been before. There was so much raw potential, gifts and magic: never before had the stories spoken of the Gods bequeathing so many with tidbits and items, weapons and armor. As he watched he couldn't help but wonder, why them? why now? He had never seen the ancient guardian trapped; caged; struggling. He had never seen it so .. uninspired, so mortal. [say]"Why isn't it fighting back..?"[/say] he asked softly, but he did not expect Jigano to have an answer. Rory stands to the side with Jigano, a ways away from the main group RE: To See and Pray [OPEN TO ALL] - Ludo - 03-14-2019 [say]"Keep your voices down, please. I am trying to watch the show."[/say] The rags appeared overhead as though someone had dropped a blanket over the proceedings. Except this blanket had a porcelain mask, and one of its tendrils of fabric cradled a few berries, like snacks. (Like popcorn, in another world and another life, one might say). It was Maea that Ludo chose, given their arrangement for Fiat Lux, and it gently draped itself around her shoulders like a scarf while she prayed. If Remi had not been so preoccupied, he would likely recognise the gesture. [say]"Would you like me to describe it to you?"[/say] it asked, knowing off her failing sight. Absently, it threw a berry at RE: To See and Pray [OPEN TO ALL] - Maea - 03-14-2019 WELL. She had never thought the gods would actually be listening, but that just showed how little she knew them. Maea drew a shuddering gasp when the gentle weight of Ludo settled over her, a cloak heavy as waterlogged wool and light as nothing at all. Hot and cold and nothing, and the voice whispering so close to her ear it might as well have been inside her head. It was terrifying and wonderful and the girl was too stricken by the unexpected honor to reply at first. But then she nodded, because really; what was the point of being here to bear whitness if she could not actually see what happened? Terrifying or not. "Yes, please, Ludo. If you don't mind..." Was it a tad macabre? Perhaps. But. It was Ludo. How could anyone expect anything else? RE: To See and Pray [OPEN TO ALL] - Kalt - 03-15-2019
RE: To See and Pray [OPEN TO ALL] - Jigano - 03-15-2019 You should've let me die. Jigano’s blood ran cold in that moment, feeling the sharp bite of fear in remembering how close Rory had come to dying. And if they hadn’t been let in it might have been all three of them dead and gone by the time morning’s light returned to the world – bard, gryphon, and hunter alike. He gave Couldn’t… and wouldn’t. Wouldn’t want to. Rory had held up a light for him when he had thought he had consigned himself to shadow, and shown him a way past the rocky shoals of night to a kinder shore. He wouldn’t leave his friend to face his own storm alone, not unless his presence did more harm than good. He gave Deimos a quiet nod of support over his shoulder as he headed away, impressed by the big man’s calm and persistently quiet rationality he tried to exert on the incensed gathering. Jigano wished him the best of luck, but for once he chose the selfish path, the desire to help the one instead of the many. He had locked away his heart before, in the name of the ‘greater good’ and taken on a burden he had stumbled under, alone. This time… would be different. He was different. Few things could prove that more than the silent brush of skin to skin, or the way his twisting stomach began to calm when There were people fighting for their lives and the freedom of an entire community – whether those people wanted it or not – below them. It was the first time he had seen the demon in the flesh, but he had read up on it and in truth it was going too well. Too easily. Remi’s trap of earth left an echo of 108’s words in Jigano’s memory, and he combined it with the assassin’s lightning like they had practiced it a dozen times. A perfect cage, a flurry of fire… ”It’s trying to, but…” he started to answer, a frown furrowing his own brow, but Remi’s uncharacteristic clumsiness cost the young man skin and the grace of his wings, and Jigano bit back a curse before he saw the alchemist rise with a new weapon in hand. He didn’t even get the chance to relax before the victory, nearly assured a moment ago, turned suddenly to panic. Ronin was down, his blood watering the spring-damp earth, and his fellow warriors reacted as individuals rather than a unit. The bard hissed, his fingers curling suddenly around Rory’s as he fought the urge to fling himself across the sky on white wings and provide aerial support. It wasn’t as though he could do anything else, his powers lost and useless as he had now become— Isuma Reep!ed softly, talons digging through the padding on his shoulder to reclaim his attention, and he jerked his head in the direction her fascinated yellow gaze had fixed, where Ludo embraced Maea and taunted Kalt. Seeing the god present and entertained did nothing to reassure the bard, and he turned his eyes immediately back to the fight, leaving Isuma to watch the masked rags with kittenish curiosity. ”There will be plenty of work for the healers after this,” he murmured to his friend, a grim sort of optimism in the statement that it would be healers they would need, and not undertakers. RE: To See and Pray [OPEN TO ALL] - Rory - 03-15-2019 What played out before them—the struggle between hopeful, ambitious mortals and the ever-present guardian of (presumably) their 'freedom'—was the reason Rory had grown up to be the distanced creature he had become. He had loved easily and freely as a child, had been part of his little pack, sought friendship, warmth, among the other young outcasts in Caido society. Rory hadn't been particularly brave, but quirky and loyal. But one by one, they had died, disappeared, or lost touch when they delved into relationships, businesses, and families. And at the end of a summer nearly a decade ago, Evie Wordsworth had been taken from him: not by death, not by other obligations, but by her parents, who deemed her happiness less important than making a match as befitting of her stature. Or something like that. He had touched many since, and been touched by many. He'd had the occasional round of beer with acquaintances at the Rathskeller. He'd gone hunting with other trappers, chatted easily with the tanner, with his customers. But he had still had his sister. Until he didn't have her anymore, either, and the loneliness drove him right back into the waiting arms of friendships. Dangerous, dangerous things; he knew how they ended, his eyes narrowed as he watched the trapped demon. Loss. Heartache. Your lifetime stretching before you, vast and empty and lonesome as it curved away beyond the horizon. Yet there he was, watching as Remi fumbled, how it all went to shit, as it always did. The demon was out, behind Ronin, who fell, but wasn't defeated. Jigano's fingers curled around his. Rory wrapped his other hand around them, giving them a light squeeze. There was nothing they could do, without dying too. He had tried to warn them, to tell them to wait, to.. maybe just accept being here... But they were watering the ground with more blood. Rory had seen it before; Jigano likely hadn't. It was horrible, every time, but none quite as shocking as the first. [say]"Or none at all,"[/say] he replied sadly, too much of a realist; he tried to be gentle, but he was still grumpy, and only vaguely aware of Ludo settling like a glorified scarf around Maea's shoulders. He had never known the god to take an interest in the battles against the demon before. So, indeed: why now? RE: To See and Pray [OPEN TO ALL] - Emmett - 03-15-2019 Emmett's concern melted away into an indifferent anger as Phoebe began to speak. Not only was she choosing to take this personally, something that he was right about and had clearly not meant to include her in, but she had complained only a week after his family dying that they weren't being physical enough; it had really been the last thing on his mind. And she had taken him to see Frey right after, when he had felt compelled to be sexual...it felt more manipulative to him by the second. Sizzling anger that had been living as frustration suddenly bubbled up. Snapping his hand back he rolled his eyes and sighed. [say]"I'm tryin' to help, Bee. I can' do this right now. I can'...deal with all of your stuff. I'm sorry. I..."[/say] He wasn't good at being angry, his words already slipping into apologies. Emmett shook his head and walked away, leaving Phoebe to be angry at him. He didn't have the energy right now, his heart completely numb from the still-unprocessed grief in him. RE: To See and Pray [OPEN TO ALL] - Samuel - 03-15-2019 Sam had kept his head down until...something had come down upon the group. Not the bickering (which he really couldn't care about either way, couldn't they all see Remi was about to die--), but something distinctly more supernatural, a mist descending. He raised his eyes and caught sight of Ludo, bizarrely around...Maea's shoulders?! Immediate panic came through him for several reasons. Was it about to hurt Maea? Why was it here? Did this mean someone had to die? Before he knew it he was standing, stepping towards Maea and Ludo...then stopping short. What was he intending to do? He was mad, that was for sure. Mad that even though he had done nothing, Ludo had taken the only love he'd ever felt without him even knowing. His fists curled up at his sides and he glared up at the rags. [say]"Be careful, Maea."[/say] He finally whispered, all he could really say. [say]"Ludo can do awful things."[/say] RE: To See and Pray [OPEN TO ALL] - Ludo - 03-15-2019 As But Maea had asked it to describe how the fight had played out - and oh but they had missed a lot with all of this chit chat. A distant boom reached the group of spectators, Ludo's attention moving towards it. [say]"The group fought very hard,"[/say] it informed her. [say]"They fought with fists and fire, with magic and with swords and with bombs. And they brought the Spire Demon down... but I believe it has exploded."[/say] Surging up on Maea's shoulders a little, like it could get a better look, it hummed out a sigh. [say]"And it... it has... yes. I believe it has killed Ronin Taliesin."[/say] RE: To See and Pray [OPEN TO ALL] - Samuel - 03-15-2019 All Gods could do awful things, but this one had done an awful thing to him. But Sam knew better than to pick too much of a fight here and backed off, his warning given to Maea; he went to watch the fight and wait more. Until Ludo made the announcement that Ronin had died. Seconds later, he noticed the demon was gone too, but the realisation that the fight was over was nothing compared to the wrench in his chest. He had not been massively close to Ronin but he would have considered him a friend; the man had always respected and been kind to him without question, had admired his work. He had valued Ronin's bravery and friendship. Sam noticed through his grief-fog that Remi was running away from the Spire, before he could think he was running too, trying to find and catch up with him. RE: To See and Pray [OPEN TO ALL] - Maea - 03-15-2019 The concern of her friend was touching, though Samuel had made so little noise in the midst of the agitated crowd that Maea was surprised when he actually came up to her. She gave him what she hoped was a ressuring smile, but could not honestly say that she was worried about Ludo's presence over her shoulders. If anything, it was a comfort to have someone close, even if that someone turned out to be the soul guide itself. How long har it been since she touched anyone, since anyone reached for her for any reason? Try though she did, Maea could not recall. "I'll be alright" she assured him before he left. There were prices to pay, of course there were, but in her case it would hardly be more than she could handle. Not like this. Nothing at all like the battle that raged up ahead, so fiercely that the ground trembled beneath her feet despite the distance. Ludo's commentary aided her poor sight, brought a measure of order to the blurred shapes racing on and off... But then there was nothing more to see. ...they have brought the Spire Demon down. A heartbeat. A soaring leap of incredulous joy, of blinding disbelief. They had done it... They had done it? THEY HAD DONE IT! ... it has killed Ronin Taliesin. A heartbeat. Then the world reeled around her, and Maea's hands dropped down along her sides, as empty and useless as her prayers. Ludo was here, and the stars of Safrin shone over the fighters up ahead, and still someone had died. Not in vain, probably, för the demon was dead and a nightmare had ended but...what was the point if everyone did not make it? How could anyone move forward if it would cost them for every step of the way? Then, a thought that had weighed on her from the moment it became apparent what she was. Had her kind caused all of this? Was it somehow her fault that a man had died today? Was it really she who ought to give her life to fix this, instead of those brave souls out there? That she knew none of them did not matter, Maea still felt... responsible. Trembling fingers reached for something to hold. A hand, a piece of clothing, one of Ludo's rags if they would permit such a thing, from someone like her. They probably should not. RE: To See and Pray [OPEN TO ALL] - Edrei - 03-15-2019 [say]"Oh you know, just some heroic bullshit so we can get into the penis."[/say] Edy replies with a glance towards With a lascivious wink in —exploded? Edy felt her chest tighten, shoving through the crowd and just hearing the last bit of what Ludo had said. And it... it has... yes. I believe it has killed Ronin Taliesin. [say]"WHAT?!"[/say] Edy bellowed, unbelieving and bewildered. Looking towards the aftermath with wide and tear-filled eyes for her lost captain, her sword, she suddenly shielded her eyes as the world went dark and starry and then Ronin...became...a..star? [say]"The actual fuck have you done."[/say] She whispered, looking up as her former captain seemed to disappear into the sky. A sob that would never reach her lips bucked painfully in her chest. Rarely was Edy selfish, but just now, all she could think about was how she really had no one anymore. Now, all her friends were ghosts. Or kids. Or cats. Fuck. |