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Zahara walks on ahead of Flowers, trying to ignore him mostly. Behind her is a massive cart drawn by 12 demons. "I can't believe everyone else was busy." she mutters. "This is important, isn't it? Yes it is. They all want the artifacts, but will anyone come with, other than him? Noooo." sigh.
Colapso The crystal flowers begun to disappear. No more leaves blinking at them. Blood-pigeons with the faces of hares begun to flutter into creation with them, scorpions of ideas on their jaws. They would die soon, simple chaos, oblivious that they would die following the strangers to reality, their kitten eyes - and those of the winged leaves with them - always curious.
Thirteen disregards her, idly poking a demon with his finger and listening to it growl at him.
Zahara irritably strikes one of the pigeon things from the air
Thirteen picks up the broken body as he passes it, and eats it.
Zahara "Must you DO that?"
Thirteen "Does it devalue your kill to suggest that it may not have been for sport alone?"
Zahara "It wasn't sport, it was spite. and you ATE it. Do you even know what it's going to DO to your stomach?"
Thirteen "Yes. Nothing."
Zahara eyes him dubiously.
Zahara "Eat Wyld much?"
Thirteen "If there is a substance I cannot safely consume, I have not encountered it in my travels. It is possible that I have finally discovered it...but it seems unlikely."
Colapso A wind blows. A wyld wind. Flowers, weaker than they should be due to the wyld, fly on the wind... not the petals, but the whole flowers, some blooming in mid-air around them... all real flowers. Just a breeze of wyld on the real world.
Zahara leaps upward suddenly and slices the air, bringing down another bird and thirteen of the flowers. "Enjoy."
Thirteen catches one of the flowers and swallows it. "You are too kind."
Colapso "Hello, Dreambreaker." The flowers begin to speak, impossible forms coming out of the flowers. They are tall, great humans. They never shrunk, and they never grew. They just came out of the flowers, as wonderful blooms. "We have bussiness with you."
Colapso The one to speak holds a staff of azure light over his shoulder; Words appear in it at every moment, and they are words of trust.
Zahara "Do you now? That is rather interesting, given that I have none with you."
Thirteen says nothing, but his near-constant glow intensifies, and the flowers bloom briefly as they fall through the air around him.
Colapso Another one has skin of gold. She has no features but gleaming eyes on her face. Orbs of crystal orbit around her, each the size of a palm, and they sing as crystals touching one another. That is her voice. "You did when you took Tevesh. We have come to secure his released."
Thirteen "These creatures are fascinating. I would be interested to hear Cerin's analysis of their Essence flows in the context of the discussion we were having yesterday."
Zahara flips her Daiklave around her hand, "I see. Well, I must respectfully decline. Tevezst is my toy now, and he is not for sale."
Thirteen "Has he had the opportunity to observe them?"
Zahara "Not these particular ones, but yes, he has observed the Fae before."
Thirteen "I will inquire with him upon our return. Let us make haste."
Colapso "We have come to secure Tevezt's release." She says simply, as something appears in the sky. It has seven arms. It has eight eyes. And its wingspan makes the sky dome disappear. "We never mentioned you had a choice, Dreambreaker."
Colapso With that, they prepare for war.
Zahara "I was hoping you'd say that." she grins.
Thirteen stomps the ground and sends several flowers spinning back into the air. Reaching out, he allows one to rest on the point of his spear. With the other hand, he brushes back his hair.
Colapso The one with the staff begun to speak. She plucked words out of the staff. The words filled the air about her. They spread out like flowers. She blew on them. They flew towards Zahara, engulfing her in wordflower, its truth cutting like a knife.
Thirteen is still for a moment. The heart of the flower resting on his spear suddenly flares the autumn-bright color of a setting sun.
Thirteen he then slides forward, taking three steps and reversing the weapon to send the butt of his spear hurtling towards the staff-wielder's diaphragm as she exhales.
Zahara deflects the flowers with a slice of her blade; truth has nothing on her.
Colapso "It has killed the chosen of the Sun before, you know. We all have." The woman of gold says, pointing to the behemoth far above, coming closer to Zahara. "When we first invaded. Some of you were around, but less. Confused. I drank one like you, dreambreaker. She was sweet."
Colapso She turns to Thirteen. "You have the option of running, boy. Our quarrel is not with you. I would take it. If you survive what IT will give you, I advise running. Or you can watch us finish the job on the dream-eaten." A flicker, and all the orbs go towards Zahara, breaking into a song of pain, foreseeing Zahara's own...
Zahara "And then, we drove you back, as we do now. You have no business being in Creation, filth, unless you wish to visit the White Room."
Thirteen "Unfortunately, I require Zahara's assistance. Besides, I am curious."
Zahara flicks her weapon up to intercept the noise, the bright flat of the blade catching the song and reflecting it back, while her floating swords dance and twirl in between them, flickering with ice and fire
Thirteen spins quickly, catching the flower with the butt of his spear and planting the tip to swing himself ten feet into the air. He runs down the last few fleeing pigeons, whirling his weapon end over end towards the woman of gold.
Zahara meets the third note of the song with a slightly imperfect angle, and flinches as the song strikes at her, and her ears begin to bleed, bright red trails trickling down over her shoulders. "Accursed creature," she growls. "You won't live to see the sun rise again."
Colapso The woman moves her orbs. One strikes true, drawing Zahara's blood. One stop's the spear. Yet, two break, screaming like lovely dead singers. New ones come from the others, as the spear strikes her immaculate skin. It ruptures. But only slightly. She meets them with a smile. "Oh, I shall. I will survive to the day we eat the sun."
Colapso The thing beats its wings. The petals fill the air. All is crimson with roses. Scorpions begin to fall of its wings. It comes down. Seven Arms for two Solars, the energy of the five elements on each one, one for each finger. Burning with five-elemental power, it comes down. Three of its large hands strike at Zahara, two at Thirteen.
Thirteen steps lightly atop one hand as it strikes down at him. Pushing the other hand away and levering himself in the same gesture, he flings himself across the behemoth's body, slashing at the arms outstretched towards Zahara as he goes. Landing behind the monster, he idly reaches out his free hand to catch the flower.
Zahara 's weapon leaves gold trails of light behind as it intercepts the blows against her, pushing the hnads back. "Tevezst was a fool, and so are you!" But still, one of the hands strikes her. Perhaps because she is angry, perhaps because she is not thinking things through. She bleeds.
Colapso The earth rises far up. The air is all roses and earth and blood and broken glass. Yet, Thirteen hurts the thing. It roars, one of its arms falling. The earth shakes.
Zahara takes that anger, burning, and strikes at the fae's heart, cleaving a path through the distractions of the flowers, dying them even redder with her blood, the edge of her daiklave glitters hungrily, seeking that for which it was made to kill
Thirteen spins the butt of his spear behind his head, knocking away the severed arm as it falls to earth.
Zahara follows the blow with a peal of sound of her own, the War Bell sending out a shattering wave of sound that shears trees in two, sends petals flying, and strikes at her enemies
Thirteen rides the wave of shattered earth to its peak, stabbing the spear behind him, through a crumbling cloud of dirt, towards a dim spot under the thing's left wing.
Colapso An orb stops the blade. An orbs sing even more, their singing stopping the wave... as the words of the staff one do.
Colapso The thing falls to the side, roaring. The wyld recedes as it does. The earth trembles as it falls, its hands barely holding it up. It was... furious.
Thirteen hangs on this time, leaning on the spear, which still protrudes from the creature's flesh. "I am satisfied, animals. You may leave now. We have much to do today."
Colapso "We will leave with the Dreambreaker, meddler. Tevezst shall be returned." The fae with the staff smiles.... and rushes towards Zahara, as the staff uncoils in a serpent of blue light, holding her arm, holding her form, never there for she to hold on, as the fae appears behind her, licking her ear. "You will come with us now..."
Zahara "Like hell!"
Colapso "Silence." The golden lady says, holding Zahara's mouth, the crystals keeping the armory away, the songs speaking of Tevezt, of their deals, of what they will do to Zahara. "Like I said... we handled sun-chosen before. Always overconfident. I will love drinking that in you."
Colapso The monster roars. Six hands lunge at Thirteen. Revenge. Death. Kill. As they move, the whole forest raises up, the wings come down from the sky. The world moves against Thirteen Blooming Flowers.
Zahara struggles in the fae's grasp, eyes burning with anger. She bites at the lady's hand, and strikes backwards with the pommel of her daiklave, unable to position it for a killing strike, so held.
Zahara struggles ineffectually, the damsel in distress indeed!
Thirteen sighs, and suddenly, he is gone from the world. The hands crash down on empty earth, the trees fall in vain.
Thirteen reappears beside the staff-wielding fae, head bowed. A thin stream of golden light traces from the point of his spear across her body, crossing itself exactly over her heart, marking the path of his weapon.
Colapso She screams, unmaking in chaos around Zahara. The words break. Truth is unmade.
Colapso All that is left, is fading blue light and weeping words...
Thirteen is still. The flower slowly falls from above, sliced in two.
Zahara staggers as her struggles meet only the resistance of chaos, not flesh, and she looks up to see Thirteen and the tip of his spear gleaming less than a hair's breadth from her skin.
Thirteen "You three have sinned against me, and I have repaid you. I forgive you now. Do not sin again."
Colapso The golden lady is angry. Her anger is song. Songs of war and enslavement. "Meddling Solar! For that, I will rip your bravery out, and keep you alive, afraid of your own HEARTBEAT! Nobody shall remember your name, and you will never matter!" The orbs shatter. It is all song. Dragons of song whirl around the world, all towards 13
Thirteen grimaces as the song blasts towards him. From his mouth and from the palms of his hand, sunlight issues, brighter and brighter until there is only light. When the maelstrom of musical death passes, the sunlight slowly dims, and dims, until Thirteen is left, panting slightly, without even the customary glow of his anima.
Zahara ::Thirteen Blooming Flowers... Activate the collar around my neck, now. Don't argue."
Thirteen clicks the bracelet around his arm shut.
Zahara concentrates for a moment, sending a flood of golden energy through the invisible link between them, replenishing Thirteen's reserves in repayment for his saving her from the Fae's embrace
Zahara ::Off would be good now..::
Colapso The golden lady looks surprised. The Behemoth gets up. "Still... alive? Still alive? It... it can't be... it... you... damned sun-chosen..." She snarls, features almost appearing on a featureless face... but she was of faerie. And he was a worthy opponent. "... but not anymore. You are drained. May I know the name of the strongest Solar I had the pleasure to destroy?"
Thirteen grins crookedly. He taps the bracelet thoughtfully...then clicks it off again.
Zahara gives him a little bow, then turns to face the fae with him.
Thirteen "My name is Thirteen Blooming Flowers, resident tactician and advisor of the Empire of the Sunlands."
Thirteen "It is time for you to flee, cattle. The next time we meet you will rejoin your dear sister."
Colapso The monster roars. It comes to Thirteen and Zahara, a hand to hold her. Two to destroy Thirteen. And three for defense. It understands, now, that its skin is not as mighty before the chosen of the sun.
Thirteen 's hand brushes lightly across Zahara's back, almost too fleetingly to notice. "Be careful...Empress." Then a push off her shoulder and he is in the air again, meeting the oncoming hand with spear leisurely outstretched.
Zahara 's anger comes into sharp focus and continues on into cold, calculating clarity. She whirls, Daiklave seeming to float in front of her eyes, to find the precise place to stop. The hand meets resistance, and is thrown back, leaving Zahara untouched.
Thirteen knocks back the oncoming hands with the butt of his spear as the monster slaps away the point with one of its arms.
Zahara mentally locks eyes with Thirteen, ::Together...Go for the eyes.... NOW!::
Thirteen continues his glide, slowing as he does so until he comes to a complete stop before the reddened eyes of the hideous monster.
Thirteen "Die."
Thirteen plunges his spear towards the creature's flesh...
Zahara dashes into the air, flipping over to land on the Behemoth's head, followed by a swarm of swords, all unerringly following the path of Thirteen's spear, and her Daiklave, as they plunge into the creature's eyes
Colapso The monster screams.
Colapso It had anihilated empires.
Colapso It had crushed Celestials.
Colapso It had destroyed worlds within the Wyld.
Colapso And it screams, as tiny creatures go through it... and bring its end.
Colapso The Golden Lady steps back, smiling now. "Dreambreaker... this is not the last you heard of me. We will have him. And Thirteen... I will be seeing you..." Her smile is the most alluring thing thirteen blooming flowers has ever seen. It goes through his soul, and he feels its pull... as it is stopped by Zahara's aegis. He feels how close she got to her heart.
Colapso And then, she vanishes, in song and broken crystals... "Another day..."
Zahara withdraws her dripping blade from the sludge that was the behemoth a few seconds ago, and straightens her dress. "Another day indeed." she hmphs.
Thirteen sniffs. "Hubris."
Thirteen "We could seek her out...."
Thirteen "but perhaps not today."
Zahara "I know. The nerve of that creature, thinking she could defeat us."
Thirteen "I am not impressed. I expected more of this heralded menace."
Zahara collects various pieces of the shattered fae, to decorate the White Room with.
Thirteen "Perhaps they were weak and infirm demons."
Thirteen *fairies
Zahara "They were foolish to meet us here, in Creation of all places."
Thirteen "No doubt they were aware of your prodigious talent at Wyld-shaping."
Zahara "Well, now they are aware of your prodigious talent at slaying them as well. I am sure tales shall be told of your spear."
Thirteen "It is disturbing to encounter this direct evidence of the weakness of Creation's borders. We must accelerate our plan, if at all possible. Should the Fae conquer Creation, it would take much longer for us to conquer it."
Thirteen "Not as many as they shall tell of your swords, Zahara Zhan. Although perhaps that is fitting, since I have only the one spear, and you are well-equipped with swords."
Zahara "They tend to destroy it when they conquer it, as well, turn it into fluidity, which is highly annoying to convert back to solid ground."
Thirteen "Do you think the Wyld extends to infinity, with nothing in it but the Fair Folk?"
Thirteen "It seems impossible."
Thirteen "If we postulate that Creation arose out of the motions of eternal randomness that make up the Wyld, and that the Wyld is functionally infinite, then there must be an infinity of other Creations in the Wyld, to say nothing of the other planes."
Zahara "That is what is said. The Wyld is a place where rules do not apply. Impossibility is its strong suit." She scratches a sesseljae behind the tentacle as it pokes its head out of her stomach.
Zahara "Are the other planes in the Wyld? I have only traveled to them via gates."
Thirteen "Who can say?"
Thirteen "We will have to investigate it further."
Thirteen "Someday I would dearly like to learn to control and solidify the Wyld, as you can."
Thirteen "Then I could travel within it for as long as I wished, seeking out the monsters and secrets that must lie within."
Zahara smiles slightly. "Indeed we must. We have yet to visit a few of the realms on our quests." "And as for solidifying the Wyld, you should start with protecting yourself. The fae tried to warp you, didn't they?"
Thirteen "I believe so."
Thirteen "You are of course correct. I will take the steps of mastery in order, the better to reach the summit."
Zahara nods, then adds "A good idea. I will instruct you when we are able to take the time for it.
Thirteen pauses.
Thirteen "These collars are novel devices."
Thirteen "They have depths I did not observe."
Zahara "Indeed. They were built on a simpler design, when I realized the potential for more."
Zahara "And of course, you have earned the right to remove yours."
Thirteen "I thank you."
Thirteen "Let us discuss it tomorrow, as we have previously decided. We may determine then what plan of action is best to pursue."
Zahara "You have my thanks as well."
Thirteen "That is not necessary. I could not abandon you. Would you have crafted them to death?" His grin belies his awkward joke.
Zahara laughs, "I did have a trick or two up my sleeve yet, I was simply not thinking clearly."
Thirteen "Then I await with anticipation the day you face a challenge great enough to focus your energies."
Zahara "That day approaches soon. We must get these supplies back to the Cascade, so we can prepare for it."
Thirteen "Indeed."
Thirteen half kneels to pick up another flower, and idly begins chewing on it as they return to their journey.
Zahara shakes her head a little, and continues on, keeping pace with him.
Tags: (:tags Wyld, Tevezst, Golden Lady, Planes :)
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