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#76
Old 10-28-2020, 01:10 AM

Once they reached the shore, Arael coughed a little as they stood. His body wanted to shut down, he could feel it. Whether it be from crashing into the water like he had, or from the shock of nearly drowning, he was having a hell of a time keeping consciousness. After a moment of more-or-less regulating his breathing and calming down, he glanced at Silas and lowered his eyes. "I'm still pretty numb from the impact.." He murmured quietly. "The water.." He murmured.

"The water has magic in it.. I think that's the only reason I didn't drown.." Arael said quietly. "I saw it.. The cavern. It's underwater, and I think that's where the magic is coming from, or they're at least connected." He said quietly, before slowly trying to stand and lightly pulled away from Silas so the man wouldn't have to carry his weight. As soon as he separated, he nearly dropped to knees, only catching himself and slowly walked up the shore until he could lay down on the grass and state up at the sky. They sun was just barely started peek out from the horizon.

---

Lea smiled as she and her partner came into the living room with the cots, and saw Mars standing in the doorway. Jason opened up his cot and offered to do the same for Lea, taking note of his tired she looked and didn't want her hurting herself. They were lucky that Lady Nerva could help Lea the way she did..

"It hasn't been that long since I lived here myself, of course I have an idea where old things might be." Lea teased her friend. Jason sat on his cot once the other was set up and chuckled some. "You used to be partners right, before I came along?" He asked curiously. Lea nodded lightly and glanced at him. "Yea, she was looking after me when I was a fresh shinigami, like how I'm looking after you." She teased some. Jason nodded some.

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#77
Old 11-14-2020, 04:01 AM

Silas trudged through even knee-length tides as he made his way inland. He sighed in relief as he heard the first part of Arael's response. He was less excited about the idea of going back underwater to see the cave but anything was a sign of hope at this point. He dragged his feet until he felt the warmth of dry sand beneath his boots, and he concentrated on re-sealing his wings. De-materializing two soggy wings did wonders for his ability to carry his own weight. It occurred to Silas that despite how heavy it felt underwater, he wasn't even wearing his flight cape. Soggy wings were heavy.

The terrain sloped upward into hills as the mouth of the river went inland and as Silas neared the grass where Arael had plopped down he stepped out of the light and into the shade. When he realized this he instinctively leaned backward into the warm light and closed his eyes to cherish the moment of peace.


"You're leaving already?"
"It's getting late."
"The sun's still up."
"Goodnight."


He snapped upright and swallowed hard as panic flooded his memory. He exhaled and realized then that he had brought a sandy hand up to his mouth. He dropped it back by his side. "We have to find cave or we'll lose our wings for treason before we get anywhere," he insisted. Then he spun on his heels and marched back toward the water, panic fueling his newfound energy. He squinted at the water, looking for a clear change in aura.

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Mars teetered on the verge of sleepwalking as she watched the two younger shinigami poke fun at the scavenger hunt. "Alright I'll leave cinnamon on the side in case you make up your mind later," she said as she turned to walk back to the pantry area. She, mostly on auto-pilot, grabbed a few mugs from the cupboard, found and poured some milk, and set them all in the microwave to heat for 2 minutes. She found spoons in the meantime and mixed sugar and chocolate in a separate dish. She liked to have a base for her hot cocoa and then add more sugar or chocolate later. While she waited she grabbed extra goodies from the cupboard: cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract, and 3 candy canes. When the microwave beeped she yanked a cookie sheet out from the oven to use as a sheet to transport supplies to the living room. The full mugs wobbled a little as she walked but were otherwise fine.

"I mixed the cocoa but there's extra sugar or chocolate if you want," she announced as she set it down on a low coffee table next to the younger shinigami's cots. She yawned as she stood. "Man I'm gonna be lonely and miss the party if I don't sleep out here, huh?" she joked. A moment later she was in the hallway digging for a blanket and a spare pillow in a closet. Happy to have found both of her favorites, she tossed them onto a couch near her friends. She detoured for a moment to double check that the front door had locked on her way in, and feeling safe afterward she plopped down on the couch. She could tell that there was still daylight peering over the horizon, but she felt no less tired after the evening chaos.

"Lea, how long have you been around these parts now? Has it been years already?" she wondered aloud as she claimed a milk-filled mug and candy cane. She scooped in some cocoa from the shared dish and began fiddling with the extra goodies. "We're all family here, and this place has been my home for who knows how long," she continued to ramble as she stirred a sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg into the cocoa with the melting candy cane. "I just can't keep the timeline straight."

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#78
Old 11-21-2020, 03:48 PM

Arael was somewhere between fading, and managing to keep himself barely conscious as Silas spoke. He somewhat noticed as the older guardian began de-materializing his wings and slowly released a shallow breath as he tried to focus his muddled brain and senses on doing the same. Re-sealing wings you couldn't feel wasn't as easy as simply dealing your wings, because well, you couldn't feel them. So your body tried telling you they weren't thrre.

He found himself squeezing his eyes closed as the numbness wore off, and pain flooded his head upper back and shoulder, and hissed under his breath. Arael slowly turned on his side and pushed himself up to an upright position, and peered over his shoulder at the wing that wasn't closed all the way. It was open slight, at an acute angle and mangled as if hitting the water forced it open and the current best against it.

"Silas.." He murmured quietly, glancing at him as the older guardian stood and headed for the water once more. "I can't move my wing.." He murmured, biting back a his as pain pinged through his head from turning his head.

---

Lea and Jason turned their attention to the older Shingami when she joined them, and Jason took note of the softness in his partners smile. Lea carefully picked up the warm mug and closed her eyes as she took in the sweet scent. No one made cocoa like Marsipan. Jason chuckled at her joke, and carefully picked up his own mug, watching as the older went to grab her own blanket and pillow to join them.

Looking up from taking a sip of her cocoa, Lea blinked at the question and shrugged lightly. "I've lost track, but it hasn't been too long.. Maybe a few years?" She murmured, unsure of herself. "That time is coming though.. I can feel it.." She murmured. Her death-date.

Jason glanced at her. "How bad is it? When it comes around.." He asked quietly, not wanting to upset her. Lea shook her head. "It depends on the circumstances, and the events that transpired." She said quietly.

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#79
Old 01-05-2021, 01:49 AM

"A few years?" Mars wondered. "Huh, it really has been..."

As her fellow shinigami talked, she continued to stir her spiced cup of cocoa until the candy cane was thin enough to snap. When it did, she let the top half sink into the water and lifted the mug to her mouth for a minty sip.

"Well...You do know you better than the rest of us," she admitted with a weak laugh. Death date chatter unsettled her. Mars had little knowledge of the experience―she had little knowledge of anything concerning shinigami at large. After all these years she still couldn't get a straight answer from Lady Nerva or anyone close to Her for more information. Her thirst for knowledge fueled her loyalty and desire for kinship. The secrecy she received in return was a source of tension in her relationship with her partner and her roommates, who each seemed to know so much more about the big picture. When her family refused to reciprocate her trust, it sowed dread and doubt in her mind.

"If anyone has a say in that kind of thing, though, it's Lady Nerva. And she looks after us," she insisted aloud, as much to herself as to her guests. She curled up with her warm mug and took another sip. She resisted the weight of sleep that leaned on her head and eyelids. "You have to keep reminding yourself that whatever happens is gonna be okay in the end."

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Silas looked back at his companion at the sound of trouble. He frowned, seeing that the attempt at re-sealing Arael's wings may have worsened the injury. "Hold still," he said as he hurried over to his ally's side and lowered to his knees to get a closer look. "Gah." It occurred to him that he hadn't brought a first aid kit, nor had he trusted his GPS enough to bring it along.

He scanned the surroundings for a sense of direction. The shape of the sandy barrier to the ocean was odd and only beach-like on the side of the river where Silas knelt with his companion. On the other side of the river the terrain was rocky and rose sharply into cliffs of the mountain from which the river unwound, as if something powerful crumbled the stone away...

Silas looked away from the rough terrain and gazed across the stretch of soft sand. It bled into the grass which gave way to a thin forest. They probably weren't far from a human establishment... Silas frowned. While the two of them stood a chance if they walked to a mortal city, it was death or worse if they ran into another angel at this point. And Silas didn't exactly want to fly around unarmed over shinigami territory. Was it better to not seek help and risk Arael's health, or was it better to try anyway and risk their lives in the process? Was it better if Silas hid from sight once they reached the city, or maybe should they break in and steal...? And wasn't this Arael's choice to make?

"We can rest here―and there's fresh water from the mouth of the river, but..." Silas blanked as a sense of doom crept up his spine. "I-I'm not sure..." Was there perhaps something clever they could do with the magic from the artifact of time?

"Don't move," a low voice demanded from behind. Silas blinked in shock as the sand visibly shuddered and a small gale pulsed with the sound of the voice. Was it some kind of sonar magic? He slowly turned to face the source. As he turned, he could make out its shape: a masked figure, wading across the water. The silhouette's rear-sheathed weapon glinted unmistakably of the metal that composed shinigami scythes, but for some reason the blade looked much like a sword and nothing like a scythe... Silas's heart sank as he noticed a second robed figure hop down from the rocks farther back. He couldn't discern its weapon in the shaded light, but as he looked toward a flash of motion atop the cliffs he saw a third masked figure poised with glowing shinigami metal―

"I SAID DON'T MOVE," the voice boomed. "Unless you want to lose those damned wings." Silas froze completely, ever surprised by voice's ability to move between element-bending roar and humanoid speech. As the bearer of the sword stepped out of the river and into the light―and uncomfortably close―Silas could make out the cuts in their armor from prior battle. He was too panicked, and too afraid of the threat, to check whether the other figures were closing in too. He had no idea if there were any more beyond the first three.

"This land is sacred, and it does not welcome the kin of dictators. State your cause."

(Image source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/914862411593337 )

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#80
Old 01-05-2021, 02:54 AM

Lea lowered her eyes some as Mars spoke and sipped from her cocoa. She knew the other had a point, but like the rest of their kin, it didn't make talking about it any easier. She managed a tiny smirk when Mars mentioned that that she handled it better than the others, and stared down into the dark liquid. "That's becaue I have more people at my side then i did when I was alive. I don't regret taking my own life.." She admitted quietly.

Jason glanced at her, her words feeling familiar but he couldn't place it, or reach it. He then focused more on the cup in his hands.

Lea sighed some and wore a smile as she looked at her partner and friend. "Tomorrow will be better." She said, and she truly believed it.

---

Arael was careful not to move as Silas instructed and allowed him to inspect his wing. He felt the air around them thicken before he glanced at Silas from the corner of his eye, at the sound of the voice behind them.

Shinigami? Here?! Panic began to spread through him as the voice boomed. He hadn't come face to face with a shinigami, nor knew how to respond to the situation. "We.." He began to speak quietly. "There's something we're looking for, within the lake.. We didn't come to fight.." He managed to speak, just loud enough to be heard by the others.

He was scared, but he felt he had to try to reason with them before falling on rash ideas and risking himself and Silas getting more hurt than they already were.

Last edited by Nova_Alchemist; 01-05-2021 at 03:05 AM..

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#81
Old 01-06-2021, 06:42 AM

Mars grinned and closed her eyes. "Isn't that the truth...I don't know what I'd do without this family."

...

She jolted and nearly spilled her beverage, realizing that she had started to nod off. "Dangit!" She finished the cocoa in her hand and yawned when she set the empty mug down. "I wanted to wait until everyone got home but I'm fading so fast, and it's barely even sundown." She whined childishly, failing to realize the toll of healing magic on her energy. "If today weren't so darn dangerous it wouldn't be such a big deal. Are either of you this tired?" she asked, rubbing her eyes as she found herself torn between slumber and worry.

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Silas slowly leaned back from his kneel to sit down just slightly farther away from the masked silhouette who, unbothered by their half-drenched clothes, loomed over the two angels. As Silas moved, the stoic stranger's glare followed. The hostile presence paralyzed him, but at last he managed to take a breath. "We're looking for a crystal that can traverse time."

"Why?"

"I lost the two people that meant the most to me. One was a mortal I cared for, and after I left, he..." Silas swallowed hard. "After I left, he took his life. The other was my best friend, and I lost him today." He stopped and closed his eyes. "If there's anything that I could do to bring them back―"

"A lie," the being accused. Silas glared and gritted his teeth, furious. A soft splash distracted him a moment later. As he looked, another robed person waded through the water. Their petite figure showed almost no marks of battle. Stray locks of long white hair spilled from between their mask and loosely-fastened hood. They bore a small compound bow on their back with a quiver of arrows that twinkled with shinigami metal. Silas recognized the glimmer from the being that was previously atop the cliff, yet they had somehow maneuvered to the shore as if it were only a short hop away.

"No," a feminine voice cooed as she nimbly approached. The stoic stranger leaned slightly in her direction as if to insist their attention despite their fixation on the enemy angels. "That's him, the veteran guardian that knew Jason by name," her mesmerizing voice continued. "He called his companion Arael, but I don't recognize him. They crash landed together a few minutes ago but they don't have flight gear. If they were disingenuous then the depths would have drowned them, I think. The sea seems to believe they're rogue."

The stoic stranger waited. If the two of them looked less like death itself it would have been a peaceful silence between the murmur of the shore and river, but to Silas it was an eternity of fearful anticipation. "Is this true?" the tall warrior asked at last.

"If we turn back now we would be as good as dead," Silas confessed. "We might be anyway if we can't find the crystal or if law enforcement finds us first. And with this wing injury I don't know if we'll be able to avoid either of those problems." The truth of their vulnerability sent a chill down his spine. He began to shiver in his soaked clothes.

"Though the sea may trust you, there are other barriers that protect this hallowed ground," the warrior explained. "We will not weaken them, but we can give you the strength to pass through. Passage will require energy for a blood promise and sunlight, however, neither of which are plentiful here now. In honor of the invitation of the sea, you..." the voice paused. Silas blinked. For a moment, their silence seemed as if in conflict with their own mind. "You may seek shelter with us tonight."

The masked girl abruptly turned toward the warrior, visibly taken aback. The warrior turned to her as much. "Gwen, would you please prepare our return?"

"Y-yes," she stammered. She looked across the water and beckoned seemingly to no one, though Silas remembered there was at least one other masked figure with them. Then, she nimbly moved past the two of them and took off into the grassy forest.

The warrior turned to Arael. "Arael, are you able to walk? If not, I can carry you."

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#82
Old 01-06-2021, 05:05 PM

Jason had begun dozing as the brief silence settled between them. He jolted some when Mars shouted and rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm pretty beat.. Maybe we should give up and turn in?" He asked, glancing between the two.

Lea nodded some and set down her cup, then carefully took Jason's cup ad set it on the table before he had a chance to spill it. She glanced at Jason as he shifted on his 'bed' so he could lay down. She then stood and picked up their mugs and headed to the kitchen to waah them.

---

Arael tensed as a third robed figure approached him, after the second figure joined the warrior. They had long black hair flow around their mask, remaining silent as the two other figures conversed. Unlike the other two, a weapon couldn't be immidiately seen.

The figure knelt down in front of the younger angel, only glancing at her warrior companion when he voiced that they could stay with them for the night. She glanced at her sister and watched her go on ahead of them. She sighed softly and offered the younger angel her hand after the warrior spoke.

"You're scaring him." She murmured quietly, returning her gaze to the angel. "He's obviously younger than the other.. Almost too young to leave the city." She murmured. "Come." She said softly in a similar mesmerizing voice as her sister.

Arael found himself being drawn to her, despite his fear and slowly reached for her hand. The figure grasped his hand and tugged him to his feet, catching him as he staggered forward. "Go ahead and carry him, he can barely stand on his own.

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#83
Old 01-07-2021, 03:56 AM

"Maybe we should," Mars admitted. "It's been a long day and I'm sure ready for a looooong nap. Oh, thanks," she added as Lea began to clean up. She watched until the young shinigami disappeared down the hall and then she looked toward Jason. It was rare to catch either of the two without the other, and a moment alone seemed like a good opportunity to ask him about the angel encounter a few days earlier.

Jason, she thought, but she couldn't bring herself to bother him as he prepared to sleep. Though Mars was curious and concerned, she had already decided with Lea not to ask him about that angel who called his name. And yet...

When she realized she had been staring, she shook her head and let out a short huff in frustration with herself. "Sleep well," she wished.

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Silas tensed as the shinigami called Gwen stepped near him on her way out. He stood slowly when the third stranger approached and he frowned when she seemed to hypnotize Arael into her arms.

"What's the matter?" the warrior asked.

"It's hard to trust you," he explained. "We should be enemies, and I don't even know who you are."

The stranger strode closer and Silas fought hard against the urge to back away. The warrior lifted a palm to their face, removed their headgear, and revealed the pensive visage behind the acoustic torment. Even without her hood she was taller than Silas. "I am Seamus," she said. "This bay has drowned my kind as well as yours, and to deny faith in you would deny faith in my own."

"Okay, I understand you want me to think you trust us," he snapped. "But how do I know this isn't some kind of trick?"

"It seems you don't," she countered. "Do you want to return home with your kind or with us?"

"I want to protect Arael and bring back those I failed to keep safe," he insisted.

"Then it sounds like you have no choice, and in that case it doesn't matter if you know." Seamus turned to take Arael from her companion and onto her back. "I'm going to lift you up now if that's alright," she said to the smaller angel. She shifted somewhat to re-balance the weight of two beings over one center of gravity.

"Gwen will scout the path ahead and conceal our tracks," she added. "I doubt anyone will sight us, though if things are dire enough that you defected then trouble might try."

"Ah..." Silas uttered sheepishly. "Maybe we could talk more about that on the way? There are still some things I don't understand―about the crystal, and about today. I think Arael knows the most between the two of us."

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#84
Old 01-07-2021, 01:56 PM

Jason chuckled at Mar's admittance to being more than ready for a nap. He slowly allowed his eyes to close as he relaxed and the feeling of safety sank in, as sleep took him.

Lea washed the mugs and whatever dishes happened to be in the sink, before quietly going back into the living room. She glanced at her partner and softened her expression some when she noticed that he was already out like a light. Damned angels.. If she lost him because of them, she promised herself she'd make then regret it.

Lea sighed softly and sat on her cot before laying down, clearly tired but also unable to fall asleep right away. "Night, Mars." She murmured softly.

---

The figure waited until the smaller angel was on Seamus's back before leaving the group to follow after Gwen. Rei clearly wasn't feeling up to sharing her name with the angels.

Arael nodded some when the woman asked if she could lift him, and lightly held onto her shoulders as she stood. Despite being soaked from the bay, he wasn't cold.

Rei paused briefly and glanced back at the group when Silas spoke, then continued her stride, easily catching up to her sister. "I'll run ahead and let Mars know about the guests. Okay?" She spoke quietly, before going on a head to the tree house.

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#85
Old 01-08-2021, 05:23 AM

A grin tugged at the corner of Mars's mouth when Lea returned to the living room and settled in for sleep. She responded with a playful wave. "Night-night."

She then clasped her hands together under her chin and rested her elbows on her knees. After some time of nodding off while sitting upright and silently cursing the angelic nightmares that crept into her mind between waking moments, she gave up. She stood and walked toward the window on the west side of the treehouse. From the side, she parted the curtain enough to peer outside at the dying light. The sun was gone but she could make out the skyline of trees against the faint glow.

Then she noticed the single approaching shinigami. Her heart sank in fear and she instinctively made her way outside, turning back only to double check that the door was locked on her way out.

"Where's Seamus?" she whispered once the figure was in earshot. "And Gwen? I've been so worried. What took you all so long?"

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"See you soon," Seamus said as Rei hurried off in the same direction as Gwen. She scanned the beach one final time before starting in the direction of the forest with the angel on her back. To Silas, her movements were slow and deliberate. He followed her. She looked in his direction once and he looked down, still scattered from earlier.

"There's so much I want to ask," he said. "I don't know where to start..." The sound of crickets and crushed leaves filled the silence for some time. "How do you know about the crystal back there? And why are there barriers around it?"

"There is a sealed energy source in this area," Seamus began. "I have never heard of a time-wandering crystal, but it could easily be another form of the source's wonder. The barriers suppress its aura, and many are ancient."

"Why does it need to be suppressed?" Silas asked.

"I don't know," Seamus continued. "The barriers will drain anything in their vicinity, though, energy and being alike. Maybe they once harnessed its energy, or maybe they deter greed." There was a short pause. "Where did you hear about a crystal?" she asked.

"It was in a book―but it was also a legend, too, right Arael?"

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#86
Old 01-09-2021, 01:27 AM

Lea only managed to doze off for a few minutes before dreaming of the fight with the angels and waking. She heard the door and blinked the sleep out of her eyes, almost relieved that Jason was still asleep.

--

Rei paused when she noticed Mars come outside and waved her hand some. "Rest easy, they're behind me. Our assignment took longer and we ran into some feathered rouges out by the mystic lake." She said quietly. "Seamus has insisted they stay with us or be found and possibly be put to death for their treason." She said quietly, giving her roommate a chance to really let her word sink in.

"One is an elder, the other merely a child." She spoke quietly. "Are the young ones here?" She asked curiously.

~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~

Arael was listening as they spoke, only he was half dozing and half fading from consciousness as he rested on Seamus's back. "Mn?" He hummed quietly, blinking as Silas mentioned the book. "Oh, yeah." Arael murmured. "My grandmother gave me a book about the crystal." He said, just loud enough for them to hear his voice.

"The legend of the time crystal. It's supposedly gives the one holding the power to travel back in time, to a specific time period, but only briefly." He said quietly, feelingly oddly safe as the Shinigami carried him.

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#87
Old 01-09-2021, 04:46 AM

Mars exhaled in relief when she saw Rei wave dismissively. She opened her mouth to say something about how she was glad that the fighting was done for the day, but her comfort quickly twisted into anger as Rei unveiled more of the situation. "I'm not letting any angels near this house," she insisted. "And they're clueless if they think dealing with me is better than dealing with a death penalty." The words escaped her mouth before she could think. It occurred to her that the angels from earlier that day might have instigated combat in search of their rogue comrades. The idea that those righteous birds would get shinigami involved in their plight brought her blood to a simmer. Even worse, she realized that she wouldn't be able to stop her partner from bringing death into their own house if it had anything to do with Nerva. Mars would ask questions and push back against some of her responsibilities from time to time, but she knew that Seamus wouldn't be caught dead on the other side of a dispute with the goddess.

"Tch," she snapped as she heard of the young angel. "They've always blamed us for their own war. I'm not letting them use children or criminals who want asylum to bait us into mercy." She took a breath and pulled back the wrath in her words, realizing that there was no reason to take her anger out on Rei. "Sorry... Yes, they're here," she continued as neutrally as she could manage. "But not for long. I can't stop Seamus from hanging herself with whatever this is about but I'm not getting the rest of my family get killed for it."

She spun on her heels and marched up the steps. When she opened the door she noticed Lea awake. "Lea, we have to leave," she said as she left the door wide open and moved over to grab her scythe from its resting hook on the wall. "Can you wake Jason up? You two need to go back to the safe house. I'll walk you there since it's so late."

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Seamus turned an ear toward Arael. "I'm surprised that an angel would know this before us. What seals the source uses shinigami magic and the last time I sensed an angel near it was was hundreds of years ago."

"Hmm," Silas pondered as he walked. "If no angel came this way recently..." Horror struck him. "Maybe we have the wrong bay? N-no, that doesn't seem right. The illustration was pretty exact, even though no one visits here."

"You underestimate the sea's blessing," Seamus said. "Outside of the three of us, I don't invite my kin to this place because of its tendency to claim visitors one way or another. I've lost friends here, and have never seen an angel survive a swim. Your triumph is no accident."

"Oh, well, I'm glad we weren't drowned as soon as we landed," Silas stammered aloud. It was humbling to realize he had just narrowly escaped death. He glanced back at the shore that seemed considerably far away. "Wait―how can you watch over that place if it drowns everything?"

"I'm not privy to its intentions. I used to wonder if its preference hinged on our acceptance of our own afterlives," Seamus began. "But you rogues resist your duties and still survived so I'm less sure."

Silas looked toward the sky as the stars emerged. "My duty was to protect Jason," he said. "Even though I've left mortals before―the ones that outgrow a guard early, or the ones that were never interested to begin with―Jason never seemed tired of me. I really thought I could protect him forever: to keep him out of harm's way, to hold up an umbrella for him when it rained, and to remind him that the sun always rises even if you can't see it through the storm..." He trailed off. "I don't even remember what other things I did when I wasn't spending time with him. All I remember is him." He swallowed and paused. "And then I had to leave, and then he took his life."

Seamus looked over her shoulder toward Arael. "Surely this one told you about his cause before you risked treason together. Why did you join his side?"

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#88
Old 01-09-2021, 10:37 PM

Rei stepped back as she noticed the anger rising in her roommate, by the gleam in her eyes and the tone of her voice. "Mars, it's not like that." She spoke quietly when the older shinigami mentioned using children to bait them. "They should've drowned in the lake, and Seamus sees their survival as a sign. The child mentioned the legend of the crystal that dwells within that lake.." She spoke hesitantly.

She paused when Mars voiced that the kids were there and mentioned how they wouldn't be for long. Rei quickly followed Mars inside the tree house. "Wait a minute, Mars." She spoke, pausing when she noticed Lea awake and lowered her head some. Who hadn't heard of the fight? The kids must be exhausted, in fact how could they make it back to the safehouse?

Lea slowly sat up and looked between the two, but her eyes settled on the obviously wound up Mars. "What's the matter?" She asked quietly, rubbing her eyes.

Rei slowly moved her hand up to her mask and tugged it from over her face. "It's been awhile, Lea." She spoke quietly. "I'm afraid Seamus is acting on her own again." She explained, only further confusing the younger shinigami.

Lea shook her head lightly amd reached over to gently shake Jason's shoulder. "Jae, change of plans. We've gotta go." She said calmly, softening her expression as her partner stirred and blinked sleepily.

~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~

Arael slowly shook his head. "I should have drowned in the lake.." He murmured quietly. "But i saw it.. A glimmer of light within a cavern as the current pulled me deeper under the water." He murmured. "The magic is the only reason I believe I didn't drown.."

"My grandmother was considered a traitor when they found the book in her quarters, before she passed it to me in secret. She hoped I would have a similar vision and dream as her, only i was tok young to understand.." Arael spoke quietly. "A trainee has a chance to bond with their mentor in way that connects them, and when i had met the mentor that i had a connection with.. It was unlike anything i had ever experienced."

"When he died though.. It felt i had died as well.." Areal spoke. "I mentioned the legend of the crystal, and the book to Silas in hoping i could make a difference.. And I mentioned going to find it. I never really felt like i truly belonged in Highrose anyway.." He admitted quietly.

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#89
Old 02-01-2021, 04:36 AM

Mars gritted her teeth as she clasped her scythe. She was frustrated, anxious, and tired. Something unconscious tugged at her heels and whispered nightmarish fantasies of how much worse it could get if she didn't leave now. At the same time, an old mantra crossed her mind.

There is a fine line between consideration and hesitation. The former is wisdom, the latter is fear.

She looked toward her housemate. She set her scythe back on its hook and stood her ground, as much against the invading enemies as against herself. "Who are the angels?"

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Seamus pressed her eyebrows together as she listened to the younger angel speak. Silas frowned in response to her apparent concern. "Is something wrong?" he asked, shooting her a sideways glance that she did not return.

"The point of a blood promise is to provide a buffer when the barriers strike your energy," she began as she pressed forward with the young guardian on her back. "I don't know how effective it would be for someone who recently depleted their energy. At least, it sounds like that's what resulted from your mentor's death." Silas winced at the reminder of death. Out of the corner of her eye, the tall shinigami noticed. "Was your friend also a mentor?" Seamus asked.

"He was my commander." he explained.

Seamus turned her head sharply to look at the older angel. After a pause she opened her mouth to speak. "How did Anders die?"

Silas blinked with equal surprise, realizing the vast extent that his shinigami escort knew about him and his world. He lifted a hand to the back of his neck. "He left the city today and never came back. He...was probably with Arael's mentor."

Seamus looked away and took one slow breath. Silas tilted his head and let his hand fall to his side. "You didn't know," he realized.

A twig snapped and a patter of small footsteps scurried forward past the three beings in the forest. A few dozen yards ahead the trees parted. It was too dark to see well but Silas could make out a small glade and a partial view of a dimly lit cabin that rose out of the earth near one side. The no-longer-silenced footsteps and their hooded owner rushed into the glade and out of view toward the home. "Is that Gwen?" he asked. Seamus replied with an absent mhm as she walked.

"I heard there was a commotion," she continued slowly. As the path widened and three of them reached the glade, Silas could make out her half-dazed, half-stoic gaze fixed on the cabin and its dim glow ahead. Seamus swallowed visibly. "I didn't know there were casualties."

The word hung in the air. Casualties. It occurred to Silas that the people risking their lives to protect Arael and himself from treason were the same people who fought to kill―and be killed by―his brethren.

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#90
Old 02-07-2021, 01:49 AM

Jason slowly pushed himself up tp sit on the cot and rubbed his eyes, his brows knitting together as the mood of the room settled. "Lea?" He asked quietly, sleep lingering in his voice.

Lea's focus had shifted to the older shinigami's as they spoke, the direness of needing answers apparent on her slender face, she needed to know the names of these angels that Rei had mentioned.

Rei raised her eyes to meet those of Mars, as she set down her scythe. "The elder is Silas, and the younger is Arael." She spoke after a moment of searching her racing mind for their names.

Lea's eye's widen briefly and she stood, promptly narrowing her eyes to a sharp gaze. "We're going then." She murmured, hoping Mars remembered their conversation from the other day about that angel calling to him when they were ambushed by he and Anders.

Rei lowered her eyes once more. "The young one is hanging on to whatever life he has, by a mere thread.. he most likely won't have much longer." She spoke softly, almost wanting to put the poor thing out of his misery. A young one, no matter the race, simply didn't deserve to suffer in a way he seemed to be.

~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~

Arael's eye slowly slid closed as his energy faded, and found himself beginning to doze lightly on the shinigami's back, though trying to listen as the elders conversated.

Though weakened, and incredibly tired, his body tensed some as it was brought up that there were more than one deaths in the fight. Anders, and Ghost. His thought process halted and he slowly shifted his head to lightly bury his face in Seamus's back between her shoulder blades.

-_ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _ -

Solias, an elder angel much like Anders, only older and his ranking was above his own, was sent down to Earth in search of Silas and his former trainee. He wasn't a commander, but a 'guardian' who often sat above the others with Celestial and a few others and wore a cross 'tatoo' that was in the center of his chest.

He was told to be weary of a lake near where the two had been last seen, and carefully positioned his wings as a familiar current tried to pull him in towards the lake and he managed to avoid crashing, landing on the shore with grace as he folded his wings behind his back, a long spear resting over his back. He took in his surroundings and sighed quietly under his breath, remembering visiting this place in an older time. He didn't think he'd ever have to come back, especially under these circumstances.

Knowing what would happen if he lingered too long, he began his trek in searching for his missing comrade, if he could even still consider him that.

Last edited by Nova_Alchemist; 02-07-2021 at 01:55 AM..

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#91
Old 03-11-2021, 01:28 AM

"Gah," Mars groaned. She closed her eyes, and pinched the bridge of her nose between two furrowed eyebrows.

"Mars!" cried a slightly muffled voice nearby. Mars looked up to see Gwen in a full sprint up the tree house steps. She tore her mask away from her silver-white locks and onto the floor. With arms outstretched the tiny freight train sped past Rei and nearly toppled Mars with a hug. "Is everyone else okay too? Seamus is trying to bring other angels home and I'm scared..."

"Yes, we're all fine," Mars said as she tried to keep her balance, one hand on her scythe and the other around Gwen in response to the sudden hug. "I'm not happy that Anders is still trying to drag this fight out by sending his pet dog and some kid out after us. We need to get out of here if they're sending others after us."

"Eh?" Gwen looked up in surprise, loosening her hug just enough to do so. "But Anders..."

Mars tilted her head to the side irritably. She loved her friends and yet it ruffled her feathers terribly when Gwen, the tiny knower-of-too-many-things, trailed off, and particularly when time was precious. "What?" she demanded as she tried to break free from the hug.

Gwen let go of Mars and clasped her hands together. "Silas said he didn't come back after the fight... I don't know how he would be able to send dogs after us if he..." She looked desperately toward her sister. Mars blinked once and also looked toward Rei.

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Seamus snapped back into focus when she noticed the angel on her back begin to fade out. They were in earshot of the cabin for sure. "Mars, Rei!" she half-shouted.

Silas frowned. It was strange to see the same person whose voice shook the earth earlier use such a soft voice. "What's happening?" he asked.

"He's running out of energy," she replied. "I would guess nothing good happens after that. I'm not able to run like this so I want to get their attention."

"What are they going to... Hey, wait a minute, I thought the other person was Gwen? How many others are there?" he raised his voice. It was bad enough being outnumbered 3 to 2, but it was terrifying being outnumbered in enemy territory by even more.

"Keep it down, traitor," she half-requested, half-teased. "They might be able to help with a healing spell for Arael." Silas hung behind for a moment, desperate and confused and ashamed of the mess he had created for Arael and himself. He sighed quietly, reminding himself that he needed to trust these people even if they didn't trust him.

Gwen/Rei source:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/459719074443521564/sent/?invite_code=d746a6ada6a0483c854413f0b9a6fa2d&send er=760475224486460186&sfo=1

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#92
Old 03-12-2021, 12:17 AM

Lea frowned a little as she listened to Mars and Gwen, and their conversation seemed to take a turn. She glanced at Jason as he sat up and gently rested a hand on his shoulder. She was surprised to see Gwen discard her mask as she ran up to Mars and clung to her like a scared child running to her mother. "Gwen.." She murmured.

Rei slowly took down her mask from her black hair as her sister ran up to Mars. Her eyes dropped to the floor as Mars mentioned Anders, and quickly glanced at her sister when she noticed her eyes on her. She looked to Mars, her thin eyebrows furrowed together. If Rei hated anything more than threatening her family, it was seeing her sister so upset. "Mars.." She started softly, lowering her eyes some. "Anders and Ghost didn't survive last night's fight." She murmured.

Lea's eyes suddenly shot to Rei in disbelief, and Jason stiffened some. "Then why.." The young female spoke, almost afraid of the answer. Rei glanced at Lea. "The crystal they're seeking, they might be seeking it in order to undo the events that transpired.." Jason balled a hand. "We killed them.." He spoke quietly, his voiced shaking slightly. Lea gave his shoulder a squeeze. "They attacked us, we had a right to protect ourselves." She tried calming his fraying nerves.

Rei blinked when Seamus's voice carried itself to her ears, and she quickly turned to see the approaching trio. Seeing the state of the young one, she turned and wasted no time in leaving the house to meet her companion, stopping cold at the sight of the dark haired angel closing his distance. "Solias.." She whispered. Why was and he here?

Solias spotted the shinigami and the angel duo and quickly made his decent, folding his wings skillfully and allowing himself to land gracefully inches behind Seamus and Silas. Thankfully he hadn't caught sight of the tree house, since his focus was on retrieving his 'fallen' comrades. "He'll die you know, if he stays down here much longer." He spoke calmly, his voice holding no ounce of aggressiveness in it, but firm enough to gain the shinigami's attention.

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#93
Old 09-11-2021, 07:16 PM

Upon hearing the news, Mars lifted a hand to cover her mouth. She listened to the back-and-forth between the younger shinigami as her eyes fixed on the moonlight that streamed in the doorway. Her thoughts broke through the quiet air. "This is bad... if they think we're aggressive, they could retaliate."

A shadow briefly eclipsed the doorway light. Mars tried to track its source and froze in horror as the third angel land behind her partner.

"Hey, what the fuck!" she barked without thinking as she bolted through the front door and down the stairs. "Back off!"

Gwen bounced on the tips of her toes frantically. She was too afraid to shout so she settled for a harsh whisper. "Mars, wait! What about Lea and Jason?!"

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Silas, suspicious of being surrounded by shinigami, mistook the angel intruder for one. It was dark and he couldn't discern the light color of the wings at first. When he finally realized, the nausea set in. "They found us," he whispered.

Seamus saw the angel late and nearly jumped out of her skin when she connected Silas's words with the sight of the intruder. The surprise, along with the realization that the angel on her back blocked access to her sword, sent her into a brief panic. She spun 180 degrees and backed away, shaking off Arael's waning grip and lowering the junior angel to the grassy floor. She never once broke gaze with the invader.

"What do you want?" she demanded as she instinctively reached for her sword and began to unsheath it.

Silas backed away at the same time, glancing between Arael and Solias. Things looked grim, but he suspected it would take longer to die at ground level than if he surrendered and returned to the sky. Swift execution seemed like the only option on that front.

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#94
Old 09-13-2021, 02:10 AM

Lea jumped when Mars suddenly barked and took off, standing and taking Jason's hand, and Jason gave her hand a squeeze. He knew she wouldn't admit to it, but he could feel her shaking.

Rei placed a firm hand on her sister's shoulder as if to try and calm her. She glanced at Lea and Jason. "Hide." She instructed quietly yet firmly.

Lea simply nodded and gently tugged Jason to his feet, and led him to her old room and shut the door. Jason sat beside her on the floor, wanting to comfort her in any way he could.

~°~°~°~°~

Arael jolted awake as he came in contact with the grass, though it only lasted for a minute before he was fighting to keep his eyes open and focused on Solias.

Solias slowly raised his hands as Seamus lowered Arael to the grass and moved to unsheathe her sword. "I wish not to fight." He said calmly. "Let me take the young one home, to heal. He won't last much longer down here." He said calmly.

"They'll clip my wings or worse, I'd rather my energy run dry." Arael murmured quietly, slowly forcing himself to stand on weak legs.

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#95
Old 09-21-2021, 12:42 AM

Seamus tilted her head slightly toward Arael to listen, but never once ceased staring down the intruder. Once Arael was done, she blinked once and squared her face more directly toward Solias. She considered the situation carefully.

In that moment Silas realized the gravity of his treason. He and Arael were surrounded by would-be enemies and would-be allies. There was no way both Solias and Seamus were both allies, but it was absolutely possible that they were both enemies. He realized that the lesser of two evils might just be the nightmare in which the shinigami handed over a traitor and an innocent recruit to be executed up top.

"It's me you want," he spoke up. "Arael didn't do anything to get into this mess other than follow my orders. Swear by the grace of the Celestials in Heaven that his name is clear and I'll surrender without a fight," he continued. Silas materialized his bow in one hand and katana in the other, holding them away from his body as a gesture of peace.

He had failed, but if he stood his ground and fought he knew it would only end in destruction and ruin for Arael. For Jason.

Mars reached the group, missing the entire engagement. She patted Seamus once on the back, in a kind of "I'm-here-for-you" way. Then she stepped forward.

"Hey. Nobody asked to get involved with this bureaucratic sky rat nonsense," Mars announced in Solias's direction. "It's bad enough that you spit on us from your high chair, and now you've waltzed in so that you can punch down in-person. Why don't you go back up there and pick on someone your own size?"

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Gwen leaned toward her sister for comfort. "S-should I go help Jason and Lea?" she asked. She twiddled her fingers together and looked back and forth between where Lea and Jason were going and the front door. Then the glint of metal caught her eye. "Mars left her scythe..."

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#96
Old 09-22-2021, 12:09 AM

Rei gave her sister's shoulder a comforting squeeze. "I don't think we should leave them alone, especially Jason. He's still so new.." She said softly, her thoughts halting as Gwen mentioned Mars leaving her scythe and her eyes flickering to the glint of the metal of her weapon. A small frown tugged at her lips, unsure of what to do. "Gwen." Rei murmured, glancing at her twin.

"Stay with the young ones, I'll join you when i come back." She promised softly, before swiftly turning to grab the large and not-so-light scythe of their companion, throwing it over her back and taking off out of the house.

~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~

Arael felt his heart drop as he watched Silas. "Don't you dare take this on your own! I came of my own will, the reason we came.. If you give yourself up everything we came for will be for nothing! What about Anders, and Ghost? and Jason? You wanted to save them! You can't do that if.." He stopped and grit his teeth as his balance wavered, and pain flared from his injured wing.

Solias watched those before him, frowning at the stubbornness of the young guardian, then turning hus attention to Silas. "Don't be a fool, I can't promise such things." He spoke calmly, turning his attention to the newcomer. Well, now this was turning out to be quite a bother. How many were there out here?


"I'm not here to fight, all I want is the young one." Solias said calmly, his gaze focused on Mars and Seamus. "No one else has to get hurt. I'm not one of their bloodhounds, I want peace just like you do. So why involve yourself?" He asked.

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#97
Old 09-29-2021, 03:35 AM

Gwen's trembling frown found the courage to curve upward into a smile when she felt the friendly shoulder squeeze. She held that smile for a moment and then finally replied "Okay." She spun on her heels and scurried down the dim hallway. She looked left, then right, seeing that the door on the right to Lea's room was closed. She put a finger on her lips, hesitating. She closed the door on the left first and then quietly let herself in on the right. "It's me," she whispered as she entered.

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Silas stood stunned for a moment. He thought originally that the fuss would be over treason, and if he bound himself with a seal then there would be no need to threaten anyone else. Why was Arael involved? Was it... They know about the book, he realized. His mind raced with adrenaline, and he could almost feel the warmth of the lightbulb that the adrenaline fueled. No, he could even hear it humming. What?

Then he noticed Seamus was standing with her hands around the hilt of her claymore. The blade was an odd color, not quite silver, not quite black. It was glowing the color of twilight and seemed to hum with energy. So that's how she channels sound, he thought. Her expression was dark, and Silas fought the urge to back away.

After a moment of silence, Mars clicked her tongue loudly, folding her arms across her chest. "We're at peace without your help," she spat in the direction of the intruder. "No one's going anywhere with you."

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#98
Old 10-09-2021, 12:31 AM

Lea was ready to jump to her feet as the door opened, having calmed down when Gwen spoke. She slowly stood and went to the lighter haired of the twins, resisting the suddden urge to hug her. "Is he still out there?" She asked quietly, referring the intruder.

~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~

Rei was quick on her feet with the exception of the scythe on her back, trying to run as fast as her legs would carry her. Why would Mars leave her scythe, knowing the danger?

Arael couldn't help feel like he was suddenly the center of Solias's reason for coming, and if he didn't go with him that he'd bring an order of attack of some kind, for another visit. Mars clicking her tongue and speaking caught him off-guard. She was protecting him? Seemed like they both were..

Solias kept his calm demeanor, though this was becoming troublesome. "Why protect him?" He asked. He had come on behalf of the order to collect both of them, but the young one was his priorty. They knew about the book, and of the one who gave it to him. Not many of the lower ones knew. How could these Shingami hope to heal him?

That was about the time Rei lept over Seamus and held Mars's scythe firmly as she landed between her comrade and the angel warrior. "You think you can do whatever you want just because you're higher up in the clouds. If you didn't come to fight then leave, you're making trouble." She said, suddenly sounding a lot more confident in her words. "Leave them or so help me I'll call Lady Nerva myself." She warned the warrior.

Solias took a step back at her arrival and idle threat, an eyebrow raised. She would go to that step, for a dying angel and a traitor?

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#99
Old 11-10-2021, 03:30 AM

Gwen continued to tremble as she turned around to face Lea. She nodded, but it was unclear if anyone in the world noticed the tiny ripple in the rising waves of the already-shivering ocean under her skin. "They're not fighting, b-but Mars..." she started.

She wasn't good with large-scale combat, she would count on her big sisters to handle that. They relied on her for long-range combat and anything in close quarters with bystanders. Really, anything that required high precision was her responsibility. They weren't good with little things, and there was something terrifying about the tiny details in the outwardly calm exchange in the front yard of the treehouse.

"M-Mars left her scythe..." she managed. When did Mars ever neglect bringing her only weapon to stand before the enemy? Something was wrong, and the details were so small they fell through the tiny cracks in even her own small frame. "W-what do we d-do...?"

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Silas was already about to take a step away from Seamus, so he nearly tripped over his feet when he saw another shinigami leap into the fray. He couldn't see her weapon clearly, but could make out the dark aura of a standard scythe. He also couldn't help thinking that it was just a little too large, that it probably belonged to... His gaze wandered to the shinigami who had barked a moment earlier. Her expression at the time was relaxed and ever so slightly annoyed.

His eyes widened. Just then, her eyes darted quickly to the newest comrade in the group, at that weapon. The arrogant calmness from before was gone, replaced with furrowed brows and pressed lips. And she was looking at that weapon

Silas swung his head back and a frost crept up his spine as he noticed a different aura begin to take form around the curved blade. It was faint, but unmistakable. It was an electric blue-green, the glare of a familiar channeling sphere that had shielded him over the years. The life blood of eyes that pierced the world yet warmed him from before he could remember. The hue of a dozen strands of hair that he would tuck back in behind the ears of a dear friend when the sun was setting and his heart was full.


They merely saw collecting souls as a job, nothing more.
Most shinigami didn't have a shred of humanity left in them. Why should they?
They themselves were no longer of the living.


A desert formed in his throat and he stepped back instinctively.

For the first time, Seamus looked away from that intruder and stared at Silas, trying to read him. He shook his head slowly, disgust stirring in his stomach. "Rei, Mars," Seamus said, still staring at Silas. "And you. Take the child. Go."

"Go where?" Mars asked in incredulously. Seamus just shot her a look that spoke for itself in a private language between the two. Mars frowned. "I'm not leaving you―"

"LOOK UP," Seamus bellowed, like the deep strum of a hundred-string instrument. Mars caught her tongue and looked up. The faint red and blue glow of oppressive reinforcements grew nearer.

"Dammit," Mars swore. Seamus lifted her blade, winding up for an attack in the direction of the unwelcomed guest. She locked her gaze on the target and straightened her posture. "I'll catch up," she insisted, but she never looked at Mars again.

Mars took a step toward Silas and he took another step back. She clicked her tongue again and reached out for his arm. But Silas had already been struggling to stay afloat in a sea of grief. The driftwood resolve that he clung to―the hope of changing the very fate that flooded this sea―was hard to hold onto to begin with, and he was vulnerable in the raging water. It took just a glance of that scythe for the driftwood to slip from his fingers and plunge him beneath the waves. Blind with hatred, he forgot himself and slashed forward as if he were holding a sword.

To Mars's unpleasant surprise, the spirit katana of that former commander's dog materialized mid-swing.

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#100
Old 11-10-2021, 08:29 PM

Lea's brows knit together as she watched and listened to Gwen as she gently took hold of her hand. She could feel her shaking and it worried her. Gwen wasn't good with a large scale fight, but she was positive the other could feel a storm coming, or she wouldn't be so frightened. "Gwen, listen to me.." She spoke softly, not trying to come across as bossy since she was indeed younger than the shinigami standing before her.

"I know you're scared, but we need you." She spoke softly, trying to sound soothing. She had a sinking feeling forming in the pit of her stomach. If Rei wasn't here, she assumed she had taken the responsibility of getting the scythe to Mars, and if she wasn't back yet.. There was also a reason why she'd left her blade here, if Silas was the angel they'd found with the angel child. Her blade had been the one to cut down Anders.

"Jason?" Lea asked, briefly glancing at the youngest of the shinigami as he began to slowly stand. "I can feel it too.." Jason spoke quietly, resting a hand on his chest. "Don't even think about it, Lea. We almost lost you when those bastards came after me. Mars needs you a hell of a lot more than you need me. I'm not even a full shinigami, can't collect a single soul. You should stay here with Gwen and look after the tree house. It's the only place we have left to come back to." He spoke quietly, managing to keep his voice even, and Lea's eyes widen. "You can't.." She murmured softly as Jason began to run out of the room and her own nerves were starting to fray.

Jason took flight once he had reached the balcony and headed towards where the others were gathered.

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"Silas, no!" Arael yelped as the guardian lost the light in his eyes and swung at Mars, and watched his katana materialize mid swing.

Solias brought his attention to Arael as the young angel wavered in his step and reached to grab him while the others seemed distracted by the lights in the skies, only Rei shifted the large scythe to hold it in front of the warrior. "You'll not touch him." She spoke quietly, gaze choosing to ignore the lights of the sky of the angels in flight.

"What do you think your kind can do for him?" Solias asked, glancing at Rei who stifled a frown at his words. "More than your people in his condition. They're sending more, which means you failed to keep whatever peace you claimed to have." She spoke darkly, more focused on Solias than Silas reaching his breaking point. "This never would've happened if you'd kept your promise." She whispered.

"Take him and go, then." Solias spoke. "I promise though, he will die broken and alone at this rate." He murmured coldly. Rei glared at the hunter and raised the scythe to swing at, but not hit him, and the warrior stepped back. Rei lightly pushed the scythe into Mars's hands and stood between her and Silas. "Mars.. for once, listen to Seamus.. You've already had to fight one battle, and I can't lift the child." She spoke, drawing her daggers in case Silas tried to attack again. She for one wasn't going to leave Seamus alone, and that was that.

 



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