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{EE} arterial of creation; SOPHIA Re;Frain | SIDUS Re;Dux
Topic Started: Jan 7 2014, 02:16 AM (1,016 Views)
Fallen_shinku
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"Tch." A sound filled the empty tree like altar.

"Another dead end," the warden spoke solemnly, renouncing herself from the lines which etched the runic floor. Again, she had failed. Or, rather, perhaps the word "finally" would be more suitable? Drawling her eyes upward, she stared off into the horizon, beyond the edge of the tree and beyond the zenith of the forest below it. That was it then, that line had been the last that could've housed the outcome she wished. It was by far not the most likely, but the light-haired girl felt the most despair when she was at its conclusion. That was simply because it had been the last. The last chance, the last hope.

She should've did something different. She should've started sooner. She should've gathered more people. If she had more people, there would be at least one that would succeed, right? At least a higher chance. Explored more lines. Thrown them all into these worlds. She should've tried harder-

The warden shook her head.

"I'm losing myself..." she muttered, a weak smile bellying her despair. "Toying with 'what-ifs' and 'should haves'." Only those that had truly lost could give time to entertain such questions. Well, than what did that make her?
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The girl turned, her eyes falling upon the construct that rested upon the center of the tree. An odd throne, construed by impossibly entwining branches and bark. It was a piece of art, and looked both majestic, beautiful, and mystic. However, to her, it was just a sign of mockery. A salt to the wound. A monument that just served exemplify her lost.

The warden's head fell-

Wait, what was that?

A blip appeared on the ground before her, blinking lightly.

She had never seen this before. This light. her eyes mirrored the glimmering hope. One last path, one last attempt. Slowly, the warden reached out, grasping it between her lithe fingers. And pulled. With all her strength.

When Sophia came to, she would find herself in an impossible place. Her wings were gone, and so were her armor and Gungnir; back in the vestments she donned when she had first arrived. Atop a giant tree, except not. Odd pillars lined the top of the tree, suspended by what Sophia would only be able to describe as a glowing circle. Lines ran crisscrossed throughout the shape, but if the Valkyrie staring at them too hard would give her nausea. It was as if someone had decided to place the Stone Henge atop of Yggdrasil. But here Sophia found herself, in the center of this bizarre altar.

Except, she wasn't alone.

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A bland-haired girl stood a short distance away from the Valkyrie, gauging her with curious gold eyes. For a short moment, that was all she did, stare at Sophia, who no doubt was staring back at her. Then, stranger opened her mouth several times, as if to speak. But no words came out and they would close again.

Finally, the stranger took a step forward, and heaved a breath. Tension ran throughout her body, a combination of anxiety, and eagerness. But also doubt.

"Welcome..." the girl greeted, her voice professionally. Her hands were in each other, placed gingerly before her. Though she looked composed, one that was attentive enough would see her rub her knuckles incessantly.

The warden took a breath, as if drawing the very air into her. Ah, the air here was also different. Better. Pleasant. And not just because she had just come from a wasteland either. It positively hummed with energy and life. Wasteland... how long ago was that?

Did it even matter?

"Sophia Antistitia," the girl greeted, pulling Sophia's name out of the air. "I welcome you to the root of this thing." Her hands motioned lightly to the tree and forest under them. But no animals, creatures or wildlife.

"Now, tell me." Her frown deepened. "How did you get here? Do you remember?"
Edited by Fallen_shinku, Jan 7 2014, 02:53 AM.
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Sophia bolted upright as if waking up from a nightmare. What happened? The last thing she remembered was being engulfed in a white light as she was about to help Rayne and the hooded man fight Mara, and now she was… here, wherever “here” was. The Valkyrie looked around, seems like she was in some kind of garden or orchard, completely different from the wasteland she was in a moment ago.

The next thing she knew she was overwhelmed by an intense pain that wracked her body. Looks like whatever magic in the wasteland that prolonged her transformation was not without cost… The longer she remained transformed, the harsher the side-effects, frankly it was a miracle that she was still alive after hosting the spirit of a god for so long. Sophia tried to chant a healing spell, but it was no good. She was completely exhausted, physically and spiritually at this point.

“Welcome…”

She turned around to see that she wasn’t alone, and a girl in a black dress was with her. The Valkyrie forced herself to stand, stumbling awkwardly for a few steps before finally steadying herself. While she had no idea who this girl was, it was clear that the same was not true for her. “A…a man named A…Adour… He sent m…me here it s…seems…” It was best to play along for now, Sophia wasn’t in any condition to resist. “W…where is this? Who a…are you?”
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Fallen_shinku
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"Adour..." the girl muttered to herself, the smallest hint of recognition in her voice. If Adour was here, running amok in these worlds, that would mean...

"Troublesome," she spoke darkly, though it was obvious that this wasn't directed at Sophia. It seemed like a vocalized mental note. The warden looked down, bringing a hand up to support the side of her head. Ponderous scheming filled her muddied gold eyes as they darted here and there. If Sophia were to follow her gaze, she would see that the woman was tracing the lines which lined the floor intently; though any attempt to do so on her part would give the Valkyrie an inexplicable surge of nausea.

Finally, as if coming to some sort of resolution, the Warden returned her eyes to the dark-haired girl before her.

"You are at a place called the Crossroad's Arterial," the warden deluded efficiently. "At least, that's what the denizens here refer to it as. You know what that means, right? Those two words?" Regardless of Sophia's intent to reply or not, the girl heaved a sigh almost immediately after speaking.

"A crossroad is synonymous with an intersection, a point in which multiple roads or lines come into contact. However, in this sense, it can be seen as the onset of a root," the girl went on to explain, a light hand waving out to the tree below them.

"This place acts as the nexus of a network of roots. As for the second word, arterial, this word is used much more sparsely. It relates in a sense of an artery, part of a network of pathways which deliver nourishment, life, and waste within an organism." The warden flecked an eye at Sophia.

"Do you understand?"

"Don't be foolish, of course I do." Another voice suddenly boomed across the treetop, causing the warden to flinch. Her eyes narrowed briefly, before turning to the wooden throne which adorned the center of the altar.

"This place, is the heart."

"the heart"

"Larue..."

This man, Sophia had saw him before, only a short moment ago. Adour's card.

The new man smiled wickedly, portraying an endless confidence and pride. However, his signaled off a barely capped anger and agitation, as it scanned between the darkly dressed girl and Sophia.

"Charmed," the azure man snarled, biting back his anger. His body jolted forward, as if he was about to fly out and strangle the woman before him. But the man, Larue, stopped himself, his knuckles becoming bone-white as they gripped at either end of the wooden armrest.

"Well, I hope you're proud of yourself, doll," Larue finally continued through clenched teeth, seemingly forgotten about Sophia upon the ground. All the man's attention was drawn to the woman in black.

"Grand Monarch was destroyed, Caleb is missing, and I had lost contact with Empty Apocrypha." A familiar word, though muddled with names and concepts Sophia had never heard of before.

The Warden was obviously shaking, despite trying to keep up a brave front. Despite her prior callous and composed demeanor, the arrival of this man had shattered through most of it.

"O-oh? then it would seem that Tenebra was successful," the girl remarked, ushering every ounce of composure she could muster.

"Yes, it would seem so," the man spoke darkly. "Now Mara is free, and sweeping through all the remaining worlds with impunity! Already, can't you see, even this place is starting to be affected by her corruption!" The man swept his arm in a wide arc before him, to exemplify his point.

If Sophia followed the motion, tracing her eyes into the edges of the horizon, she would see what the man was talking about. A darkness, and an encroaching rot, climbing up through the glow of the sky above and sweeping through the green of the forest below. Sophia would find the sight quite familiar, as it would be exactly reminiscent of the event in that wasteland not too long ago.

It would seem that whatever happened to that hunter, Rayne, or even Adour, they were unable to halt that dragon. And now, it made its way here.

Larue shook visibly, staring at the warden with hate. "Is this what you wanted?! Destruction?! Corruption!? Is it?!"

The girl in question, however, had grown silent, her eyes returning to the floor below her. Though, this time, she wasn't tracing lines. She wasn't looking for any particular ending. What Larue had said, if he was right, was that this girl, through some mechanism or another, had released "Mara" onto these separated worlds. These dreams of reality.

And this girl before Sophia, seemingly sought their destruction.
Edited by Fallen_shinku, Jan 13 2014, 03:12 PM.
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“Crossroad’s Arterial…” Sophia repeated after the girl in a sense of wonder. She knew what both words meant on their own, but combined… “This is… the heart of all things?” It seemed like a long-shot, but if the wasteland she was in moments ago was called the liver of all things, it just might make sense that this can be called the heart.

Sure enough her suspicions were confirmed when a familiar looking man spoke up from a throne of sorts. Who was he…? Sophia knew he wasn’t someone she had met while in Hyakuji, and the only people she met while in the Empty Apocrypha were Rayne, Adour, and that hunter. Then it hit her. This was the man on Adour’s card… the card she saw right before being teleported here. “You… Larue… Is Adour working for you? If he has your card, you must be connected to him somehow. Who are you anyways? The brain? The mastermind?”

The Valkyrie’s voice had regained its steadiness, but also held a bit of an edge, as if she held Larue responsible for the suffering she had witnessed. If indeed her guess was correct, it wouldn’t be that much of a stretch to say he was the one who had put Rayne in that miserable place.

Her question went unanswered, but more pressing matters presented itself. The beast known as Mara, seemingly embodying the very essence of corruption and taint, now approached them here in the heart. The sight filled Sophia with a sense of sadness as she wondered what this meant for the people of the wastes. It was clear they couldn’t stop Mara, but does that mean they were dead? Or did they go back to hiding? She hoped it was the latter, but steeled herself for the worse. There was nothing she could do to help them now, except maybe avenge them.

Sophia clenched her teeth. Vengeance was an old friend to her, having spent a good portion of her life seeking revenge on the demons who took everything from her. The Valkyrie turned away from the view and shouted at Larue. “It is your fault that Mara is here today, if indeed you are the one in charge of this… body.” She strolled up to the throne, never once taking her eyes off him. “No one part of this body can hope to defeat such corruption, and yet you sealed him off in the Empty Apocrypha and allowed it to gather strength while feeding off the poisons of all things. Even if my actions released the beast, it was inevitable, and if delayed it would probably be even stronger than it is now.”

She stepped away to regard Mara once more. “We have but one chance. There are other parts to this body, are there not? The eyes, the bones, the brain, and all the others. Bring them all here, and together we can defeat Mara. If that is not possible… There are others like me here, isn’t there?” Sophia wasn’t so conceited as to think she would be the only one summoned to this body. Something on this scale would require help from many people, possibly other Hyakujians. “Bring them here as well, and we will fight the beast.”
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Larue turned as Sophia finally spoke up. His expression taunted slightly, a mixture of surprise and anger, as if a rock had just decided to come to life and insult. EVen the Warden glanced up in surprise at Sophia, too stunned to talk. The two stayed still, staring at the black-haired girl until she ended her spiel.

And then, there was silence. And with only them three at the crossroads, the silence was deafening.

Then, Larue turned back to the Warden, his expression hard and cold, but otherwise indiscernible.

"Who is this clueless accessory?"" the man asked, a small wave at the Valkyrie.

"Sophia Antistitia... I do not know who she is," the girl replied obediently.

The man made an odd sound, a fusion of a click of the tongue and a scoff, signifying his distrust. He challenged the girl silently with his eyes, causing the Warden's to fall to the ground again. However, what she had said had at least given him a name.

"Look here, little girl, I do not know any individual named 'Adour'," Larue spoke as he returned his attention to Sophia. Despite having a name, the man had blatantly refused to use it. "You seem to be confused," Larue spoke bluntly; so blunt that it couldn't even be taken as an insult anymore.

"Very, very confused." The man's tone dropped, his voice tinged sardonically.

The man raised his hand, pointing his index finger towards the sky.

"First off, yes, I could be considered the architect of these worlds," the man confirmed. "The worlds of the Grand Monarch, Empty Apocrypha, Feral Maw, Defined Macabre, and this, the Crossroad's Arterial, were all made from my hands." So, Empty Apocrypha, that desolate wasteland, that giant monolith, were all made by him. And, if what he say was true, he had sculpted several other worlds, all connected by this crossroad.

"However, no one part of this body needed to defeat Mara. In fact, I would say that this place needed Mara to even survive. For you, little girl, the world, though made with much semblance to an organism," Larue explained, a pleased smile upon his face. "This organism is a parasite. And, as I'm sure you've noticed, Mara is a creature with much power. The perfect host!"

The man laughed softly, though it was filled with arrogance and pride. "The existence of all these worlds, is fueled by Mara's blood! She doesn't need to feast upon her own waste! She has enough power to fuel the creation of all these realms, with more than enough to spare!"

So, that was it. The world, all the worlds, were living off of this creature named Mara. Like how a leech or tick sucks the blood of its host. Though that explained one facet, the man's movements began to die down.

"Mara was never intended to come into contact with Apocrypha," Larue told Sophia somberly. "We placed her into her own world, one that would act as her prison as we siphoned her energy. This world was Defined Macabre. It was Caleb's duty to ensure that Mara stayed in stasis." Spying the confusion upon Sophia's face, the man waved at the Warden.

"Doll, enlighten her."

"Caleb Reginald Maximilia," the girl recited. "Former knight of the Teutonic Order. Resident of Feral Maw."

"Now, with Caleb nowhere to be found," Larue spat, his anger rising. "Mara is free to do as she pleases."

When Sophia mentioned the other parts of the "body", as she so eloquently put it, it induced another snark chuckle from the seated man. "So, you're the one that broke through the barrier around Apocrypha," Larue remarked, examining Sophia closely. His tone didn't seem accusatory, only curious.

"Bravo," he remarked coldly. "I was wondering how she would've so easily overtaken Empty Apocrypha; it would seem that she was given some assistance." Larue turned his eyes pointedly to the darkly dressed girl.

"You see, little girl," Larue spoke to Sophia again. "I am the only one left." It would seem that Larue wasn't joking; these worlds were already upon the brink of destruction, if the only one left was Larue, the Arterial of Creation.

"Perhaps I should be grateful, that you folk have saved me for last. After all," Larue began speaking cryptically. "What other objective could you have, sending those children to eliminate us, one by one?" After a moment, it would become apparent that Larue was speaking to the black-dressed girl again.

"Enlighten us, doll," the man commanded, resting his cheek against a palm.

A short silence past, before the girl began to speak.

"Yes, Sophia, there are others here like you, that aren't denizens of this world. And, if you arrived in the same manner they did, I was the one who summoned all of you here. The reason for your presence here, why I called you all to this place," the girl lifted her eyes. A fire burned within them, of grim determination and almost fanatic conviction.

"Was the destruction of this world. Of which, you performed admirably. By destroying Empty Apocrypha, you allowed Mara to invade the world uncontested," the warden spoke, emotionless. "Each one of your friends were given an objective, the destruction of a world's denizen. All of them disappeared."

Larue stared harshly.

"Most were successful. The only ones left now are Mara." The warden threw eyes full of hatred at the blue-haired man. "And you."

"So you see, little girl," Larue spoke again, his tone controlled and tense. Though he was speaking to Sophia, his eyes never left the enemy before him. "The beast you were to kill wasn't Mara, but I. Larue Estus, the Arterial of Creation."

"The only question that remains, is will you?"
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Upon hearing that she had been brought here to kill the man before her, Sophia was left with a million questions. Who was this... doll that brought her here? Why was she supposed to free Mara? And what drove the girl to turn on her, for lack of a better term, apparent master? The Valkyrie did get a better understanding of this body she was in, but was still ultimately confused.

“Why would you have me kill Larue?” Her eyes fell upon the girl that brought her here. “No… the better question is, how did you know I would free Mara, even if it was unintentional?” Sophia could have left at any point since Adour told her that all she had to do to leave was “wake up”, so to speak, and she was pretty sure that most people would want no part of this, and would have chosen to leave right then and there. The warden must have known that she in particular would have stayed to complete the task somehow. “You say you don’t know who I am, but yet you brought me here. Why me?”

“And you…” The Valkyrie then turned her attention to Larue. “Even if you don’t know who Adour is he obviously knows you. Like I said he had a card depicting you, and I suspect that’s how he sent me here. And why would I kill you? Surely as architect you must have some idea.” Sophia’s eyes darted between the two people before her. She may have been brought here to be an assassin, but there was no way she would do it without passing her own judgement.
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Before the woman could speak a quiet chuckle emanated from the man on the chair. The soft sound slowly grew, eventually turning into a covered laughter. A mocking, patronizing sound.

"What is this farce?" the man spoke. Though his words were harsh, his tone and relaxed both gave off the air mild amusement. "This girl doesn't even know that she is being played!" Larue stated, leaning forward. Resting his face upon his hand, the man gazed at the dark dressed woman coyly.

"I've called your bluff, dear. Your board is clean, and therefore, you're done." It would seem whatever game the two were playing, Larue now obviously held the upper hand. And a checkmate was but a turn away.

"Go ahead doll. Enlighten the poor girl," the man taunted, resting back leisurely into his throne.

The girl in question turned to Sophia, her expression hard and taunt. One could practically see the gears spinning inside her head, as she tried to plan her next play in this losing game.

"I'll be blunt with you then," the girl admitted to Sophia, her voice hinted with the slightest tinge of regret. "What the man had said, all of it, is the truth. We are currently in a... game, so to speak." Despite saying she would speak honestly, the girl was still choosing her words with a delicate care.

"I sit upon one side of the board, and Larue upon the opposite." So they were opponents, in whatever design the two had engaged in this world.

"As for you, Sophia, the answer to that question is both grave and simple," the girl said slowly. "Though it wasn't my intention to bring you here, I would admit that I've been watching you," the girl spoke ambiguously. "Out there. Back in Hyakuji." The girl lifted her dark yellow eyes apologetically. "And I knew that you were not one to leave Empty Apocrypha as it was. However, like a body, the world of Empty Apocrypha also held a purpose, which I'm sure you've noticed. After Feral Maw, Apocrypha, aside from serving as the regulatory system of these worlds, is also the second line of defense of the heart." The girl paused slightly here, in order for the Valkyrie to consider what she meant.

"I'm sure you would've noticed, but the world that is Apocrypha is surrounded by a thick layer of cloud. Those clouds, aside from keeping the wastes of the worlds from escaping, also serve to keep out foreign invasion. In this case, it served as the final barricade for Mara, after Caleb." So that was it, the truth had been revealed. Perhaps this was what that strange man, Adour, had been warning Sophia of. Yet, she still played according to the paradigms of these two unknown individuals.

"Though, I'm not even sure was I the one who chose you, but I'll accept some responsibility for bringing you here. For you see, Sophia, you are, very likely, my only remaining piece," the girl sighed hopelessly, though her hands clenched in defiance. After replying to Sophia's questions, the girl fell silent once again. Contemplating, pondering, and searching.

"Hmm?" Larue raised an eyebrow as the Valkyrie addressed him next. "Well, I'm hardly surprised," he responded when she questioned him upon why Adour would know him. "In case you haven't noticed, I happen to be quite a prominent individual of this world," he smiled confidently. "In possession of considerable power and influence. You would be rather hard-pressed to find someone of note who doesn't recognize me." The man chuckled, as if to question humorously how God would explain himself to bugs.

Then, when Sophia asked why would anyone seek his demise, Larue leaned forward, crossing his fingers beneath his eyes. "Simple," the man noted easily, his demeanor oddly nonchalant compared to the other two . Then, slowly, he raised a finger towards the black maiden. "For their freedom, and for my enjoyment."

"This world's only remaining purpose," the girl interjected this time, earning an annoyed glance from Larue. "Is to serve as a prison. And I am its prisoner."

"And I am its God."

%"But you're a far cry from omnipotent, aren't you?"% Another voice joined the two voices. A different voice, but oddly familiar. The sudden appearance of this third party caused both Larue and the girl to glance about surprised. Then, a figure appeared in between the two.

Posted Image%"I wouldn't be acting so coy if I were you, Larue,"% the strange blonde spoke slyly. She passed an eye through all the one's present, acknowledging each one of them individually.

"...Who in the world are you?"

%"How daft you've become! Even that clueless boy managed to remember me!"% the woman lashed out jokingly, though Larue's expression showed he was less than amused. %"Though, I suppose you've never seen me in this form. If I remember correctly only four people here have; one of whom is gone, the other two are insane and the last one recently 'departed'."% The girl smiled evilly, the implications of her statement painfully clear.

%"Edda. My name is Edda,"% the girl curtsied mockingly.

%"But you lot would probably recognize me by the name of 'Mara'."%

Larue almost jumped out of his seat, his expression contorted to one of suprise and anxiety. Even the usually placid girl beside Sophia gave a start at the curious development, taking a step backwards and her eyes going wide. This individual before Sophia, was the entity the denizens called Mara. The dragon that had rained destruction upon the ashes of Apocrypha. The one prophesied to destroy this world.

And she had made it to the heart.
Edited by Fallen_shinku, Jan 22 2014, 03:26 PM.
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When they were joined by the mysterious third person Sophia took a step back and immediately went on guard. She knew that powerful creatures would sometimes take human form to blend in better or to relay a message, but this was the first time she had seen it for herself. The being standing before them was nothing like the behemoth of a dragon that the Valkyrie had seen wreaking havoc on this world mere moments before. Instead she, if indeed the creature was female, looked like a well to be woman, albeit rather impolite. She couldn’t blame Edda though, after all Larue did imprison her here in order to harness her power. So now the question is, what would Sophia do?

Or rather, could she do anything at all?

Edda is clearly much stronger than Sophia was, even if she could transform again, so if she chose to aid Larue in stopping her it was unlikely that she would stand a chance. On the flip side, if the Valkyrie chose to side with Edda and complete the task she had been brought here to do, there was no telling what Edda would do once she was free. Besides, it didn’t look like she needed any help with destroying Larue. She had already destroyed most of this world, and there seems to be nothing standing in her way, period.

“So you’ve come to destroy the one who has imprisoned you Edda? I suppose vengeance is your right.” Does that mean Sophia means to side with the dragon? Perhaps, perhaps not. “I don’t think any of us are in any position to stop you, but before you carry out your revenge allow me to ask a question.” She walked slowly up to Edda, showing no signs of fear. “What will you do once this world is destroyed and you are free?” That in itself was another important factor in Sophia’s decision. This world was unrelated to the “real world” that she came from, but once Edda was done with this world she was free to do as she pleases… including continuing her attack in the “real world”. If that was her plan, the Valkyrie will fight to defend her home, even at the cost of her life.
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All eyes turned in surprise to Sophia, as her uttered words left her breath. A myriad of expressions surrounded her; Larue scoffed, a small sound that was filled to the brim with annoyance, disdain and anger. Despite knowing him for such a small amount of time, it would probably be obvious that the man was pragmatic, methodical and liked to be in control. And, as this situation upon his game board developed, he was beginning to lose more and more of it.

The person standing closest to Sophia, the one that had confessed to bringing her here, held upon her an expression of solemn shock. An expectant surprised, that signified that she had thought of this outcome, but had never expected it to come into fruition.

And then, there was Edda.

%"Oh?"% A sound escaped her lips, a reply to the voice she had never hear before. A newcomer, whom had stepped into her den. How quaint. The blonde turned to Sophia, perhaps seeing her for the very first time. A short silence followed, as the heterochromatic individual studied the Valkyrie.

%"Yes, I suppose vengeance is within my right," Edda replied to Sophia. %"And very much within my capabilities."% A sound of non defiant protest escaped from Larue, causing a light giggle to surface upon Edda.

"Your piece isn't very obedient, doll," Larue grunted, blaming the dark dressed girl.

%"Oh, don't blame Lorelei, you brute,"% Edda chastised the man teasingly. It would seem that Edda was the only one still taking this in stride, as if the entire scenario about her reallly was a game. %"In fact, you should thank her. It was great, waking up to so much action! If it wasn't for her, you probably wouldn't be sitting on that chair of yours anymore."%

"Do not call me that..." The girl in question stayed quiet, her eyes glued blankly to the floor.

%"As for you,"% Edda continued, returning her attention to Sophia.

%"I have no intention of destroying this world, this has been my home for the past two decades. Well, not all of it anyways. Remodel it heavily? Yes. Break down a few walls? Of course. Get my throne back? Definitively. Take out the trash?"% The girl smiled again, speaking loud enough so that all those present could hear her.

%"Most definitively."%

"Ne joue pas avec moi...!"

%"As for after..."% Edda continued, ignoring Larue's outburst. %"Well, I haven't thought of that yet. Been too wrapped up in the moment. Perhaps, I'll go see my children. Or my children's children.... Or their children... well, whoever's still alive. It would seem that they had become quite prominent after my departure."% Edda smiled, twirling a finger through her yellow locks.

%"And seemingly quite rowdy, if the rest were like him... I would have to go and teach them some manners!"% Edda glanced off to the side, licking her lips slightly.

%"Oh! Speaking of family, guess who I've brought along with me, Larue?"% Edda turned, finally taking her eyes off Sophia. %"You may come out now, dearest. I'm sure everyone had missed you."%

Then, in much the same manner Edda had arrived upon the runic circle, another form began to materialize beside her. Shorter, with bobbed navy hair and small frame. A muted dress adorned her. In all aspects, she looked like a normal girl, albeit in clothes years out of style. Except for her eyes. Those empty eyes.

It was Rayne.

%"I'm such a nice person, its been almost twenty years since you've last seen each other, right? Come then, Rayne, don't be rude. Say hello to your father."%

"Hello, father."

"... Is this a threat?"

%"Oh please, do you honestly think I would threaten you?"% Edda laughed cheerily, taking a step closer to the seated man. A flash of silver would then then hit Sophia's eye. A knife. A knife had appeared in Edda's hand. The blade, if it could even be called that, seemed blunt, and of pitch black.

"...!"

%"I wouldn't need to resort to something so low,"% Edda teased, as every step brought her closer to the seated man. Larue stiffened, but otherwise made no move. What could he do? Running would get him nowhere, only serving to admit his weakness. His checkmate.

Standing before the man, Edda then proceeded to climb atop him, pressing him against his oaken throne with her body. Deftly, she twirled the knife in her hand, before pressing the blade against Larue's cheek.

%"I could end you with just a thought."%

Rayne stared at the scene before her, completely unflinching, completely unmoving.

"Rayne, are you going to stand there? Stand there whilst this monster has her way!?"

"She promised... She promised to bring Cerul back..." Rayne muttered stoically. "I reallyreally want to... see him... again..."

The yellow-eyed girl lifted her head then, regarding with a stern expression at the developments around her. Then, she turned, walking swiftly to Sophia whilst Edda and Larue were distracted.

"Run," the girl whispered frantically. "You need to get out of here, while they're distracted..."

"Since you seem to like this throne so much, I'll give you one more gift," the witch laughed gingerly. %"You can have it. For the rest of eternity."%

Her hand flung across, followed by a swipe of darkness. Trailed by a line of red.

"!"

"Go! Now!"

Rayne moved then, turning her head slowly at the doll and Sophia.

"So... phia. Are youyou... leaving again?"

The next moment, Sophia would've felt a force collide with her. Her feet lost traction with the magically lined ground, and the inscriptions were soon replaced by air and empty sky. As the giant tree grew further and further upwards, a canopy of smaller trees lined the ground below, quickly approaching. Lorelei had tackled Sophia, clinging onto and sending herself and the Valkyrie off the giant tree and into free fall.

"Don't let go," Lorelei spoke again, as she continued to hold Sophia in her embrace. This was the only way, the only way that could arrive at the correct ending. Turning herself and Sophia, Lorelei then ended facing upwards, her back towards the ground.

"I'll try my best to-"

Crash.

The duo collided with the canopy of trees.

...

When Sophia would come to, she would find that she was relatively unharmed. She was upon the ground, a soft sensation brushing up against her cheek. There was a slight breeze, carrying the scent of flowers about her. Relaxed. Peaceful. Almost as if she was back in her own bed.

Except, it wasn't. She was in a meadow. Looking upwards, streaks of unfiltered sunlight streamed down upon her, as if something had made a hole through all the foliage.

Whether she remembered or not, however, she would eventually notice the person under her.

Lorelei. As soon as Sophia glanced her way, she would find her eyes staring back at her. The doll smiled comfortingly; a soft smile and with soft eyes.

"Sophia, are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?"
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“…So long as you don’t interfere with the outside world I suppose there’s no reason to stop you.” It’s odd, it kind of felt like she was sanctioning a murder, or probably more like execution in this case. Needless to say, Larue isn’t too happy about it, but he must have known this was coming. Sophia stood back and watched the events unfold, feeling a bit uneasy at Edda’s tone and actions. The Valkyrie may as well have made a deal with the devil, which obviously didn’t sit well with her. But what else could she do? Even if Edda planned to go back on her word, she was still powerless to stop it her.

Her uncertainties only increased further when a ghost from the past reappeared, and Sophia was left staring in wide-eyed disbelief. She had believed the girl to be dead after being pulled from the Empty Apocrypha, but yet here she was looking just as she was. It sounded like they had struck some kind of deal, but the Valkyrie couldn’t fathom what it might be. What mattered was that Rayne was alive, even if she was under some kind of control, and that meant there was still a chance to save her. Lorelei’s warning went unheeded as Sophia took a step towards Rayne, still in a trance like state. All that she could think of was fulfilling the promise she had made back in that wasteland. She had failed them once, there was no way she would fail them again.

"So... phia. Are youyou... leaving again?"

In that instant she realized that Lorelei was pushing her away from the group and towards the edge. “W…Wait… Rayne!!” Even as they fell Sophia ignored Lorelei’s words and kept her hand outreached, trying to cling to the only remnant of the lost world she had left behind. But it was too late, and the last thing that she saw before slamming into the canopy that awaited them was Rayne’s look of utter abandonment.

A look that burned itself deep into Sophia’s very being.

---------------------------------------------------

She awoke to the fragrance of flowers surrounding her, and for a moment she was content to rest there and drink it back in. Then the memories of what had transpired came to her and she bolted awake in cold sweat, half expecting to be back on the perch with Edda, Larue, and Rayne. But instead she saw Lorelei, pinned beneath her, and she quickly got up and backed away. “I….I’m fine…” The girl stumbled a bit and ended up sitting back down a short distance away, a stream of tears trickling from her eyes. “Why d…did you do that..? I promised Rayne I w…would save her… and now…” She looked up through the hole they had fallen, hoping to catch a glimpse of Rayne, Edda, or even Larue.

There was none, and she looked down and sighed heavily. Her eyes fell on Lorelei again, she partly blamed her for taking away her chance at redemption, but knew it wasn’t her fault. Instead Sophia walked back to the doll to look for any wounds she may have and heal them with her magic. “…. What happens now? Is this what you wanted?”
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The mute yellow eyes wandered about Sophia slowly, following the shape of her cheek as the tears rolled down. The doll's eyes were wide, but placid, a sort of hesitation holding her briefly. She didn't move, lying almost motionless upon the soft grass laden ground.

"I..." Lorelei spoke. Her voice died just as quickly as it had surfaced. Though, in that single small word, there was no regret or confusion upon her actions. Rather, it would seem the lady in the dark dress was contemplating how to best speak to Sophia in her tearful state. Lorelei swallowed, clearing her throat. Finding her strength.

"Did the only thing I could. I did the only thing I could," she said, repeating the phrase twice. After that confession, Lorelei fell silent, waiting for Sophia to gain at least part of her bearings before continuing.

"We can't keep all our promises, now can we?" Lorelei spoke coldly. Her eyes followed Sophia's up through the canopy, but the only thing the two could see was the still clear sky. "Its impossible to; and also kind of pathetic, don't you think?" Lorelei asked rhetorically.

"How people can spout such pretty words, but in the end its just that. Words. Empty and hollow words. Promises are the same thing; an empty thing that only people are entitled to use." Lorelei rolled her eyes from the canopy, over to Sophia.

A soft laugh emanated through the air. A soft sound, like butterflies flipping lazily through the air. It was almost akin to a sigh, easing out all the pursed and pent up pressures accumulated throughout a millennia. And now, it could finally be let go. But even then, it felt forced, as if a slit or hole had been punctured, slowly leaking out air.

Sophia would realize it was Lorelei who was laughing.

"I don't know, Sophia. For once, I have no idea what will happen." Admittance, resignation, but also relief was present in the doll's voice. And, perhaps a bit surprisingly, the girl smiled. "However, it feels... refreshing. As if a weight had finally rolled off my conscience." Lorelei closed her eyes, as if she was about to take a nap.

"What happens from here on out, I have no power to control it." A soft wind blew udner the canopy, rustling the leaves and stirring the scent of of forestry.

"But that's not answering your question, is it?" Lorelei opened her eyes again as Sophia tried to tend to her wounds.

"Don't trouble yourself," Lorelei insisted sternly, her voice pushing Sophia away. Despite acknowledging that she didn't answer all of Sophia's question, the girl also made no move to do so. "Nothing breaks in this world, anyways." The doll smiled again, though this one was different from the peaceful face she had made before. This one was cynical.

"Besides, your magic won't work on me." Sophia would find, as she tried to inspect Lorelei for wounds, that there was no blood. Lorelei was obviously injured, there was no way one could escape that fall without a scratch; she hadn't moved from the ground ever since Sophia had awakened. However, upon closer inspection, she would find that there were no visible wounds.

And that her skin was cold.

She had no pulse.

She wasn't even breathing.

Lorelei stared at Sophia with her glass eyes, remaining silent.

Posted Image
"Oh? Still alive are ya, angel?"

That obnoxious voice. Like a creeping nightmare, it slithered in from the gaps of the surrounding trees; a convoluted smoke. Footsteps approached the two girls, and a flutter of red signaled the vagabond's arrival.

"Its nice to see you again, especially so soon!" the wicked man laughed. "So how are things here? That old bag didn't cause too much trouble did she?

Adour.

"And look who you've got here~" the man sneered. Despite his continued... air, for no other word could really capture the atmosphere that surrounded this man like a pungent cologne, Sophia would be able to tell that he was different from when she had met him in Apocrypha. He seemed haggard, the edges of his cloak ripped, singed, and tattered. He was also evidently wounded, remnants of dried blood staining the coat an even darker crimson. The young man's posture was also sagged, as if he was trying to balance one one leg. But, aside from that, the same curl of his lips, and unflinching eyes were the same.

But, there was one more difference. Another individual was present, following closely behind Adour's footsteps.

Posted Image"..."

A short girl, dress ornately in dark brown and purple. For a brief moment, Sophia would catch a glimpse of faintest blue beneath the lilac bangs as she made contact. But then, just as quickly, the short girl turned away, putting her attention to Lorelei, still upon the ground.

If Larue was akin to a wicked flame, this girl before Sophia would be stinging ice. And she couldn't help but feel that they had just been found by a pair of predatory wolves.


"So, seeing that you ladies are all down here, I assume Larue is done for?" the boy asked, drawing a line across his neck to exemplify death. It would seem that he was present when the two plummeted from the tree.
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As harsh as it seems, Lorelei was right. Too many broken promises, too many shattered dreams. Such was the reality of life. Sophia sat back away from Lorelei, finding that there was nothing she could do for her. It didn’t seem like she was in any danger of dying for the time being, or rather… she was never alive to begin with. No wonder Larue called her a doll. Come to think of it… Evray always carried a doll with him, didn’t he? Sophia didn’t quite remember its name though… Suddenly a familiar and detestable voice rang out, and the Valkyrie quickly stood to face the newcomer.

“And I see you’re still alive as well, Adour.” Just like him Sophia’s voice was full of sarcasm and contempt. “Though frankly I’m not surprised, it’s just like you to run away when things are no longer in your favour.” She gave the man a wry look as she assessed the situation. “I see you didn’t manage to get away fully intact, such a shame.” Such hostility was not common to the Valkyrie, but Adour wasn’t someone that, in her mind anyways, deserved any compassion.

Suddenly she tensed, as if the very air around them dropped a few degrees. The source? Adour’s companion, the short girl clad in a dark dress. She didn’t seem like much, but Sophia couldn’t shake the feeling that she was very dangerous. “Looks like you’ve brought a friend as well, care to introduce us to her?” Her sarcastic tone remained, but was joined by some tension. The Valkyrie was in no position to fight if it came to that, seeing how she is both mentally and physically exhausted, so she wanted to keep them talking for as long as possible.

Fortunately Adour seemed to be more than willing to play along, which isn’t all that surprising, but welcome nonetheless. “Why don’t you go up there and find out for yourself? I think you’ll find an old friend waiting for you up there too.” Sophia knew perfectly well that it was unlikely for him to actually do that, but it was worth a shot. Besides, it might serve to rile him up a bit to make some mistakes.
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"...You..." Lorereli uttered, trying to turn her head to face the stranger. A soft gasp escaped her, as her injuries prevented her for moving anything but her eyes and face, and the doll contended to close the former.

However, Adour seemed to ignore the soft haired girl's plight, instead his ruby eyes homing onto Sophia like a hawk. A flame of fire crossed his eyes briefly as Sophia berated him, but this was soon suppressed by his own churning chuckle.

Posted Image"What? Are you surprised that I can bleed?" Adour snarled, motioning to himself. "I'm just human; there are no gods here, Valkyrie. Just people fighting for whatever they believed in," Adour shrugged. Then, he rolled an eye down to Lorelei, briefly saying "Well, most of us, anyway."

He returned his eyes to Sophia.

"Besides, you aren't too hot yourself."

"Are they... friends of your's, Sophia?" the girl replied tiredly, not even bothering to speak towards the ostentatious man. However, it would seem that Lorelei too was unfamiliar with Adour. And judging by his rather callous attitude towards Larue's apparent demise, it was doubtful that the blonde was one of his pawns either.

Posted Image"Her?" Adour jerked a thumb at the quiet girl when Sophia brought her up.

"Hell if I know. She seemed not at all inclined to introduce herself," the man exclaimed, though seemingly not at all irate. Not even Adour seemed to know the true identity of his accomplice. "All I know is that she's here to help me do whatever it was that he told me to do."
At this motion, the girl turned her hair slightly, her lilac locks swaying from the motion.
Posted Image"Oh, no need to be worried," Adour smiled menacingly at Sophia. "We didn't came here for you. In fact, we didn't come here for Larue either." The man shrugged again, but it looked haphazard and broken.

"What that bitch does to him is very well within her freedom." Again, the robed man brought upon those antics of "freedom" and "choice". However, if Sophia listened carefully, she might've noticed Adour's voice dropping low as he spoke.

"In any case, I wouldn't want to overstay my welcome, especially with that old bag on the loose," Adour spoke, moving things along. It would seem that that Sophia had failed to entertain the boy for long. Turning towards his compatriot, Adour nodded swiftly.
Posted ImageOn cue, the girl lifted her face, her blue eyes shining through her face. Gingerly, she stepped forward advancing towards Sophia. Except, she wasn't. Walking past the Valkyrie, the curiously dressed girl stopped atop Lorelei, staring down with cold hard eyes.


A flash of light.

In an instant, a weapon, a giant scythe, and materialized into the girl's hand. A coldness flooded the area, as the unfamiliar presence of death pervaded. It was an unspoken thing, but Sophia, being alive, would intrinsically grasp just what the thing standing over Lorelei was. An instinctual fear and disdain that all living things would feel. She was Death.
Posted Image

"Ugh-!" Lorelei froze, as if she had just seen a ghost. Her eyes were forced open by unseen hands, staring straight up at the girl atop her. And she couldn't move. Death had parked its carriage just inches before her face.

"You see, Sophia," Adour explained, his face anxious and excited. Again, he seemed just like a sadistic patron at an execution; an onlooker of some fanciful play. "People can't here. Its denizens are continually reborn, forced to once again take upon their roles in this game. Like good little puppets, they move wherever the invisible hands push them, like mindless rats trapped in a pen!" Adour's voice rose higher and louder, mirroring the rising excitement in his eyes.

"Similarly, things can't break in this world. This world is static, unchanging and frozen. A perpetual cycle of this unlike, in a dead world! What kind of existence is that?! A foul imitation, created by a pathetic man who sought to extend his pathetic life!" Adour laughed madly.

"Now, that's fine and all, wasting your own meaningless life to prolong it meaninglessly. But this man felt that he was worth more than himself. In order to fulfill his desire, he captured and held six lives. Against their liberty!"
Posted Image"But life's funny like that!" Adour laughed. "One day, he finally lost it, and set himself alight! And now, all this is just wasted! All your lives had become obsolete and forfeit!"

Pointing a finger down towards Lorelei, Adour snarled.

"I am your liberation! Your freedom! Your savior! And I will return all that Larue had taken!"

The girl dropped her scythe, the massive blade heading towards the doll. Though, what could Sophia do? She was in no condition to fight; though Adour was weakened, Sophia had no idea just what the small death god before her was capable of. Besides, if what Adour had said was true, then he was offering Lorelei emancipation; freedom from this web of bondage concocted by Larue. Edda was fighting for the same thing too, albeit in a much direct way.

Yes, all this could be pointed to the lineage of just one dead man.

Perhaps, death and oblivion was the answer for salvation.
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“… No… They’re no f...friends of mine…” Sophia watched Adour make his speech as her mind frantically searched for a way out of this mess. At the very least she was in no danger, assuming she didn’t do anything to stop them. Lorelei on the other hand…

The reaper had her stuck in some kind of spell it seems, either that or she was making no effort to resist. Perhaps Adour was right, and this was something that the doll wanted, an end to her eternity, the sweet release of death that she had been denied for so long. Sophia stood and watched as Lorelei faced her demise, unsure what to do. Should she step in and stop the reaper? Or should she watch as the doll was freed from her chains?

In the end, it didn’t even matter what her choice was. She was drained, exhausted. Even if she wanted to move it was unlikely her body would move fast enough to stop the scythe. Time seemed to slow as the blade fell, and Sophia’s eyes met Lorelei’s, perhaps for the last time.

She saw fear.

It was likely that she imagined it, and that her weary mind was playing tricks on her, but whatever the case she took this as a plea for help. With the last of her strength she threw herself at Lorelei, knocking her out of harm’s way. In doing so however, she wasn’t able to get herself clear in time and the blade cut into her side. Sophia rolled away with a grunt, stopping next to Lorelei. “W…wait…” She held up a hand to the reaper and Adour. “There’s s…something I need to k…know first…” Pausing for breath, she turned to look at Lorelei. “Tell m…me… Is this w…what you want…?”
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Posted Image"You-!"

The reaper uttered out an exclamation, as Sophia dived under the weapon, pushing her target out of the swing. The lilac-haired girl tried to maneuver her massive weapon out of its path, but it was already too late. The weapon gashed upon Sophia's side, another cut onto her collection of wounds. The metal was cold and hard, but yet, surprisingly warm. If the Valkyrie was astute enough, she might recognized that the scythe's origin were similar to her spear's.

"Idiot!" the reaper scolded. Her blue eyes then turned towards Adour for her next move.


As the Valkyrie made impact with the doll, whatever magic the reaper had placed upon seemed to break. Immediately, Lorelei began to draw rasped breaths, as if she was just released from being chocked. Coughs then erupted forth, as the dry air cracked her sensitive throat.

"S-Sophia!" Lorelei cried out, as soon as she could muster out the air. The doll tried to move, but again her inanimate body failed to respond.

Posted Image"..."

And surprisingly, Adour stood silent, ceasing his fanatic rant and fervid expressions. The robed man was now of stone, making no movements or hints to his intent. The only thing that suggested Adour was still alive was the subtle rise and fall of his chest as he drew breath. He paid no heed to the questioning glance of his compatriot watching the scene unfold before him intently


"What... do you mean...? I..." Lorelei's voice fell off, as Sophia rolled beside her. The doll's glass eyes darted quickly from Sophia's own to the growing stain upon the Valkyrie's clothes from the wound. The sight caused Lorelei to tense involuntarily. And that was when she noticed, that her question was unneeded.

She pursed her lips, as the doll's eyes fell down in both shame and apology. This whole ordeal would end with her. That was what she had thought. This last path she had plucked from countless dead ends was her last hope, and she was content as long as she was able to guide the world along it. She had been content, in dumping all her hopes and dreams onto this complete stranger. Selfish. That was much too selfish of her. And yet, here Sophia was, trying her earnest to grant her wish.

Lorelei couldn't cry, but she was probably the only one here that could still remember what it felt like.

Maybe that was why, after all this time, she had never been able to best Larue. Even in the end, it was Edda who had finally dealt with the tyrant. The man had long lost touch with himself. Lorelei, she was far too human. It was ironic, actually. How a doll could be the most humane thing she had come across in this world. The taste of this irony stung at her tongue.

Quietly, Lorelei grasped at the group with her hands, her nails digging into the ground, catching dirt and shards of grass. That was the remaining extent of her body, but Sophia would be able to tell what she was saying. Or trying to say. Those eyes, the small frown of her lips, the clenching of her fist...

No.

They spoke louder than her voice ever could.

But, despite that, the doll ventured to.

"Are you going to make another promise?" Lorelei teased Sophia softly. However, her words were gentle and warm. Or just weak and fleeting. As if to emphasize this, Lorelei let out a broken sigh.

"I have no more strength left," the doll confessed to Sophia. Slowly, the doll opened her hand, trying vainly to grasp her saving grace. This angel that had answered her prayers.

"Can you... help me stand? And fight?" For once, Lorelei didn't know just where this path could lead; what outcome it would bring to her, Sophia, or anyone else in this world. But, for the first time, Lorelei could feel a warm hope, emanating like sunlight from this girl before her.

She was willing to believe in this stranger.

And finally bring about a resolution to this world.
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