Court of the Fallen was created in October of 2018 by Odd, Honey, and Crooked.
Skinning and hosting by the epically talented Kaons, and functionality fanciness by the coding magic of Neowulf. If you ever see either of them around, make sure to show them some love!
And now I cling to what I knew
I saw exactly what was true
Thankfully for Gideon, something about Amalia's hands pulling him back did snap him out of the worst of his fervour; maybe because she was a Demi God, so even given her lack of convictions she out ranked him in this realm. He took two stumbling steps back, the hammer falling to the ground and scraping back along it with him. He could see his damage had not been significant, but that didn't matter; he had made the plan, the first hit - it was his actions that had brought this to be.
"We aren't scared of her. Let her face me." He growled, looking at the fading lightning. "If this is all she has, it's not much." The fresh quiet of the shrine was a little worrying, though; he couldn't quite believe this was it as far as the Voice's defenses. Remi seemed to be the one of them making a real difference, so he gestured for the Ludo God to go ahead. "You should have the honours. Ludo inspired and supported this mission, after all."
That's why I hold with all I have
That's why I hold
// heart strung, young and dumb, yeah we had no fear way back when we said we'd both be millionaires //
Remi’s instruction, the call over his shoulder stills her a decent amount, the Artificer glancing between her makeshift lightning rod and the lightning that encases the shrine. And when her head shifts back toward the lightning rod, finishing up with it despite Remi’s comments… Well, the lightning dies down. She stands, abandoning her plan to move and stand beside Amalia and Gideon, wetting her lips briefly as she sucks in a deep breath.
“I don’t trust the silence… There may be something else.” Sera suggests, worrying at her lower lip before her attention flickers to Remi. “But I agree with Gideon, if you wish to do the honors Remi.” She’d support him with whatever he chose to do.
Gideon's continued arrogance annoys Amalia, but she does not reach Remi's levels of anger, too focused on keeping those in her care safe. Thankfully the Priest does take a step back; the Shield takes this as an opportunity to move herself forward, intending to place herself between the Order members and the shrine. Feathers ripple across her bare back as her tattoo itches towards life; she will spread her wings protectively in front of them should it seem more lightning will strike, trying to take the bulk of the blow.
And then there is Remi, and as everyone suggests he do the honors Amalia simply raises a brow, not sure he sees this as the holy mission they all do. I'm here if you need me, the Angel says silently. Here-
On the ground beside Remi there will appear a large sledgehammer made of light.
Ama will protect Sera and Gideon with her wings, if it seems the Shrine is gonna blow or something. She makes Remi a hard-light sledgehammer.
This scar I can't reverse, when the more it heals the worse it hurts
"It isn't an honour." Remi barks with a laugh. While Amalia is the golden of them, winged, beautiful, full of light and life, the Lullaby is the exact opposite. Though his wings are tawny as they spread from his back, he is nothing that even slightly resembles the Archangel. Once reluctant in what he'd been made into, kind, despite the honorific of death, now he embraced it. And why not? His star, Fallen or Dark, had turned away from him. And on this, the Longest of Nights, he'd lost his guiding light.
Reaching for the sledgehammer, the beautiful glow of it carving ghastly shadows on Remi's face and body, he raises it that he might beat it against the cracks over, and over, and over again.
Shocks, explosions—come what may, he won't stop. Because it isn't an honour. It's an obligation
REMI
Speaks with a thick Italian accent.
Force and magic can be used against Remi without permission.
Lucky for Gideon and Sera that Amalia is there, for the blast the screams from the shrine would have killed them instantly. How nice that Amalia's wings are around them, and that Remi has placed himself directly in the line of fire.
And now I cling to what I knew
I saw exactly what was true
While he would later be a little disappointed he didn't get to make all the finishing blows himself, Gideon was thrilled to watch the destruction of the shrine occur at the hands of two Demi Gods. Protected by Amalia's wings he stood back to let them do the work, beginning to quietly mumble a prayer under his breath that grew louder and louder as the moments went by and his excitement grew again.
He knew enough to know when his own power was irrelevant. At least he'd made the first hits on the shrine. "This will be the first message to the Voice and her followers!" Gideon declared as the shrine screamed and reacted, imagining an entire future rolling out from this moment, where a campaign under his leadership would see the end of the Ascended menace after all.
That's why I hold with all I have
That's why I hold
// heart strung, young and dumb, yeah we had no fear way back when we said we'd both be millionaires //
Seraphina settles within Amalia’s wings, breathless in her surprise as she watches what occurs. She’s useless here, all of her abilities to help wiped away, but she doesn’t mind. She doesn’t mind at all, given the fact that there were two demigods here with her and Gideon. And it’s a shallow nod that’s given in response to Remi, though she’s sure he doesn’t see it, that she remains beside Gideon and bows her head to offer her own prayers under her own breath.
Parts of it mix with Gideon’s and parts of it don’t, though there’s brilliance and intensity with it as she raises her voice a fraction with it, until Gideon’s voice booms and Sera’s quiets back down into her quiet chanting prayers. To be a part of something good.
The blast of energy sets Amalia back on her heels, but it's Remi who takes the brunt of it, protecting them all. Tighter she coils her wings around the other two, shielding them as best she can while the Lullaby continues to destroy, her strength no match for his. "Stay close," she snaps, more for Gideon's benefit than Sera's, the Archangel trusting the Artificer to be smart far more than the Priest.
She may not be the most destructive, but Amalia can protect. And more importantly, she can heal- which she does now, calling out in a low and melodious note that clashes with the setting. "Remi!" the girl sing-cries, her breath leaving in a gust of wind that courses through the cavern. It will wrap around the Lullaby like loving arms, healing some of the injuries he's sustained (and the others, too, should they need it) while simultaneously shoving into the corrupt shrine, hoping to topple it once and for all.
Ama continues to shield Gideon and Sera. She uses her Breath of Vi ability to heal Remi/the others and try to push over the shrine.
Magic: Breath of Vi | Summons a gust of celestial wind within a 60 foot range of Amalia. Allies struck by the wind feel healed and renewed, while enemies are thrown back 20 feet (mastered healing). May be used three times per thread, with a 2 post cooldown.
Type: Light | Rank: Mastered
This scar I can't reverse, when the more it heals the worse it hurts
Remi doesn't hear Amalia, or if he does, he gives no indication. Let this burn him up. Let this be the thing that tries to kill him. It won't, it can't, and that is as maddening as it is satisfying.
The alchemist's marriage is in ruins, everyone present having had sexual relations with his husband, and here he was, pouring everything he was into breaking open a fucking shrine for which he gave very few fucks. Let the ascended live. Let them take over.
What did it matter anymore.
What could anything matter, without Ronin.
Wielding the sledgehammer over and over, his body healed by the fingers of Amalia's wind, Remi continues to pull and pour every once of strength into completing this task, that he might be able to go somewhere dark and isolated. Perhaps forever.
REMI
Speaks with a thick Italian accent.
Force and magic can be used against Remi without permission.
The shrine is not your enemy, dear Amalia. But your healing magic does its work just the same.
As Remi tears the shrine apart, more and more lightning crackles and flows like shrapnel. The Lullaby absorbs it all, shielded as the rest of you are by Amalia's wings.
There are few who could survive the electric blast just placed up the Lullaby. It is a good thing indeed you decided to bring two demigods for this, Gideon. Else, you and Sera would be dead many times over.
And now I cling to what I knew
I saw exactly what was true
Unaware of Remi's personal problems, Gideon assumed any passion in the way he wielded the hammer to be down to a conviction to the Gods, as he and Sera were displaying. Within the Sanctuary of Amalia's wings, he turned to his fellow Order member and held her hands, his face rapt with the excitement and faith that was carrying them through this historical moment.
"Just one more blow should do it!" He excitedly cried, hoping that the Gods themselves had some idea of what was happening, through the veil of Longnight. This was, he hoped, the beginning of the end for the Voice and all her followers. "One more strike and we make our mark!"
That's why I hold with all I have
That's why I hold
// heart strung, young and dumb, yeah we had no fear way back when we said we'd both be millionaires //
Thank the gods for these demi-gods, honestly. It’s all Seraphina can think of as she remains hidden in Amalia’s protective wings, as Remi takes the blunt of the damage and rips it apart. She’s oblivious too, to the inner turmoil that settles within the Lullaby, but she can’t dwell on it, can’t focus on it when she feels Gideon’s hands taking her own.
She turns to him, a wide grin of excitement and elation accompanying the quiet prayers she offers up while Gideon pauses to cry out excitedly, Sera’s eyes wide and bright against the darkness of the cave. She continues her prayer over and over and over again until the deed is hopefully done.
Remi is an agent of destruction; Amalia, creation. And so it stands to reason that she is unable to destroy with her abilities, but she can at least protect. Protect Gideon and Seraphina in the sanctuary of her wings; protect Remi as he strikes against the shrine, the hard-light hammer coming down again and again.
Protect the world against the threat presented by the Voice.
Gideon's celebrating at her side does nothing but irritate Amalia. The Priest is cocky and confident, but the Angel is a creature of wariness, thanks to too many brushes with failure. Even though she knows the Lullaby is strong, she holds her own caution, her keen eyes following Remi. Again she hums a low, soft note, and again power rushes from her, this time settling over her friend - her brother - like a blanket. Armor, for the next onslaught. For the final blow.
Amalia continues to shield Gideon and Sera, and casts her armor on Remi
Magic: Armor of Vi | Projects armor onto one ally. Armor will absorb one blow before disappearing, or until it is cast onto a new ally. One use per thread. Cannot be used on Amalia.
Type: Light | Rank: Basic
This scar I can't reverse, when the more it heals the worse it hurts
He's electrified, but what of it?
The pain and burns that roar up his arms and down his spine do little more than annoy him. He isn't too strong to feel the pain of it; he's simply too wounded already.
Hardly noticing the shield around him—though it's likely he'd not have done anything about it even if he had— the alchemist pushes Amalia's light-made weapon into the crack that he might use his entire body weight against it this time. All the work that went into making this..the ascended lives sustained by its presence...and here he was, pulling it apart like rubble.
REMI
Speaks with a thick Italian accent.
Force and magic can be used against Remi without permission.
