Bite the hand that feeds you
Taken in
"HAHAHAHAHAAAAHHHAAAAAAA!!!!! You're such a lightweight, Ariel!"
An eruption from a drunkened young man, loud, but fitting with the rest of the busy alehouse.
"You're making a fool of yourself, Otto. I was only being polite to come here, plus all my friends came too." She rolled her eyes and took another sip of her honeyed cider.
And unfortunately a hiccup came as she was in the middle of drinking, her eyes shot open as she almost drowned.
Her blushing face from the drink was unmistakable, she was indeed, a lightweight.
Peer pressure was also not a strong suit of hers, leading her to keep drinking. She had only snuck a few sips of wine in the church cellars as a young teenager, so she had no tolerance.
...
My head's a mess. It hurts so bad, I hope I didn't puke...
She was waking up to an awful hangover.
Everything hurts... Everything's... dark? I can't see a thing! Wait, I can't move my hands, I can't stand up!
One trickle of light entered her wide eyes which seeked any point of reference, only after she heard a latch drop and the scent of dust settled in.
A flame of a lit candle wick, carried slowly towards her on a candelabra.
"Who Hic are you...?" Ariel let out wearily.
The person stopped in front of her. They brought up the orange flame to their face.
Their eyes locked as the visitor of Ari's confinement raised the candle to light another. One by one candles were lit around the cellar, but Ari still couldn't see her captor clearly.
Breaking the tension the hungover demon proposed a question without regard for the situation:
"Could I have something to throw up in...?"
"It's already there in front of you." A response came. Ari didn't think to try to discern whom it may have been.
Oh. It is. She let loose, then composed herself a little.
Her vision was clear now at least.
A young woman stood in the dim light in front of her with the candle in her hand replaced by a dagger.
Whatever did I get myself into last night....
"I take it you are done? Then I would like to hear every bit of information on your occupation in the army." The encroaching woman asked while flipping the dagger in her hand.
So this is how it goes. Perhaps I wasn't singled out?
"Like I'd sell out my own..." Ari reminisced of her companions, but for a split second.
Now up to her, the captor who was wearing a uniform reached into her overcoat and pulled out some sort of insignia.
"This remind you of anything?" She questioned further.
It was completely foreign to Ariel, so she rather looked over the one holding her here. Her outfit was completely foreign, but she didn't look different from her countrymen. After seeing one thing of familiarity Ari shook her head to say no.
"You must be from the clergy, right?" Ari pressed with a question of her own, making the other take a slightly surprised expression.
"How much would one like you know? You tend to fall to our hands without fail, might it be you felled one of ours?"
"To preach his words to your flock is your duty, as mother's to feed a child.. But the burden of their sins..."
...is for you to take with you to his kingdom." The woman muttered under her breath.
In her confusion she had to turn away and retake the whole script for this interrogation.
"Not what you expected, huh?" Snarked Ari while forgetting her situation.
Not for long, however, as the foreign clothed soldier approached once more with a more intent grasp on the dagger this time.
"Oh wait I'm not lying please I need to go I really have to be at-"
The sounds of slicing were not of flesh, but of rope.
"Oh."
The bindings come off her feet and legs allowing movement.
"I just remembered as well. Not much time to have fun with you."
Ari threw a weary punch which was easily dodged.
"Hey!! Sigh... I should have explained before cutting you loose. I'm with Luna Vis. You are welcome for the little introduction. Now I need you to accompany me to headquarters. No hard feelings, right?"
"As long as you didn't keep me down here for too long. What's the time?" Ari returned with a question.
The woman changed up a slight bit, seeming a little nervous as the thought of being late entered her mind.
"Nice of you to explain so little, but I'll go along only after I get to gather my things at bootcamp, seeing as you didn't let me have a warm awakening in my own bunk." Ari firmly demanded.
"Oh your trinkets? It wasn't hard to find out which bed was yours. That... Tessa? He wasn't helpful but Konrad or whatever pointed me right to it." Their names being fumbled did not ease the mood of the serval, but being handed a bag full of her belongings did so slightly.
Whatever...
Sunlight hit her eyes harshly after being in a pitch dark basement. Now on the rocky street she followed along.
New Aun-Lixa sure seemed different at day. The paved streets led to a church square with statues of figures Ari didn't exactly recognize. She had also caught a glimpse of a huge tower, like a needle pointing up to the heavens, seemingly in the center of the city.
The woman did not have much interest in being a tour guide, instead scanning the tower for the clock to see the time.
They hurried along further inwards past more blocks of buildings until they reached an unmarked standalone building with nobody near it.
Not that it looked run down, far from it actually. The entire neighborhood was proper and nice, just like any other. Save for it being completely empty.
How did I not notice before we got onto this street? This is so eerie...
The woman leading her rung a hanging bell by the door, the shutters facing the enterance quickly opened and shut. Moments later the the locks on the door clack. She reaches for the hinge and heads inside. Ari follows into the suspicious building through the varnished hardwood door.
Once inside they walked right through the middle of a warmly lit enterance hall with all sorts of faces quietly conversing amongst each other. One such face was one Ari's new companion seemingly recognized, as they exchanged glances walking past.
The two ended up at a lunar woman with straight white hair reaching almost to the floor, sat behind a table upon which sat many neat stacks of papers and documents.
Is she old? I really can't tell if she is old or not, I've seen like two other lunars before. I'd love to meet more... We didn't have many books about them back in Groell...
"Lauhka, how's it going? I'd like to check in for team assignment, with this here newbie?" She leaned over the desk as if this was a casual occurence at this point.
How many teams had she been on?
The receptionist woman took no mind for the fraternization and set down the timepiece she had just been checking. "You are two minutes late, Miss Bauer."
'Miss Bauer' takes a frustrated breath and collects herself.
"Listen, I'm sorry. I've no excuse, it will not happen again."
By the time the apology was finished a bundle of papers was slid her way.
"That's what they all say. And as for you. Miss Mathison I presume?"
"I prefer my first name.." She walked over and went over all of her documents. She did however catch a glance at the other stack, noticing a name.
Catarina...
Even though she was just entering into service she was worn out by the paperwork and trailing off in her imagination, the things she would get to see...
"All done. Take a seat at your discretion on the second floor."
They promptly made their way to the stairs, and just as they were halfway up the first flight they were stopped in their tracks. From the feet upwards they looked who had dropped down with such a loud crash, they saw a uniform more native to the Lunars.
But before they could see the face atop the person they heard them speak.
"Salutations! I've awaited you both with open arms." They take a bow and look back up at eye level.
"Instructor Liinei?" Ari said mostly unamused by the grandiose introduction.
"Actually my title now will be Team Captain, but you'll quickly drop even that part, should you have any sense."
"But I want to respect you as my superior, sir..."
"Let it go, Ariel. We'll be together day and night for the foreseeable future, best get used to a little informality." Interjected the mystery teammate.
"Is that so, Catarina? Informal our upcoming interactions may be, but to forego any introduction? Poor Ariel knows lick about you."
The team captain was right. The woman had dragged Ari through this entire thing without explanation of any of it.
"I- How do you..." She realized there was no point asking a recon team leader how they had information...
"Let us converse further upstairs." They followed the lunar to the next floor to discuss what's upcoming on their agenda. They found themselves a cozy corner and got to talking after settling in.
"Since we're a newly assembled squad we were granted a low-risk escort mission. My hopes are high from I know of you two." The pale captain explained."Furthermore I've went ahead and got this for you." - placing upon the coffee table a ring with a particular insignia on it.
It was engraved with the Luna Vis symbol, and it was carefully slid across the coffee table to Ariel.
"What for? I've hardly done enough duties to warrant such a thing.."
"Oh it is standard issue... sort of. Each one of us gets a ring which is able to tell if its true owner is wearing it by displaying a grace color. Try it out." Catarina spoke this time.
"Alright... Here goes."
She slips the ring on her index finger, then from her fingertip releases a flicker of grace, glowing of her own golden color.
"Oh Captain Liinei something MUST have gone wrong I'll just go ahead and have it fixed for her when we depart to outfit her and-" Catarina interrupted, nervously half laughing the sentence out and taking the ring off of Ari's finger.
"I beg your pardon, Catarina-girl, but it had worked correctly."
"But the color- It wah- She can't hah-" She seemed to be in quite some distress over it.
"I'm not sure if I follow, is something wrong with my grace color? Nobody's ever told me it's unusual in the slightlest." Ari was quite confused and looking between the lunar and the distressed woman holding her head.
"I can assure you, Ariel. There isn't anything wrong with your grace, you are an able bodied soldier." Liinei calmly reassured. "Let us move on from this subject. As Catarina mentioned we shall take you to be outfitted and ready for our assignment. More details will be ready for us tomorrow morning."
The three took a few minutes to relax within their seat, then made their way downstairs to leave.
"Hey! Cat!" A shout rung out at them. Ari's head swung over to look at who has called. Even though it isn't the nicest thing to call her by a name like that but she obliged.
"Uh hey-"What is it Hanya?" Catarina walked past her towards the young man with gray hair.
"We could hear you call the way from here! They finally put you with someone worse than you?" He was mocking, but in a friendly way.
"It wasn't that... Whatever. I don't have time for you today. Let's go Ariel. Blessings upon you." She rejoined her own.
"See you later, Cat! Nice running into you!"
The fresh air under the early summer sun was high above now.
"What's the deal with that guy back there?"
"sigh... I'll be honest. I've been through more squads than missions."
"So... You're saying you fail missions all the time?" Dumbly asked the serval.
"No, halfwit. I'm just not one most would get along with. I guess you'll see once my skillset is needed. And that guy can disappear off the face of the world for all I care." She grew frustrated.
"Heh, why of course! Hanya of all people would be the one to do just that." Liinei laughed at what she said, but not for a reason Ari understood. She questioned by looking at he captain with a head tilt, which was enough to prompt elaboration.
"He's from a subterranean settlement, in a far away corner of the Province. They've been on a squad together before, but it ended poorly on Catarina's side."
"Ah." Realization.
"It's their loss, not having me as an asset to their ranks. Not that they would appreciate it... lately I have been submitting squad requests for unusual squad compositions."
"Well it sure looks like you lucked out on that front. I can see how I would fit as just that." Ari admitted.
"You're no misfit, Ariel. I've grown tired of staying at the capital, thankfully I had a hand in the selection of our little team, and with it I just so happened to evade a calling to Aun-Lixa." Liinei explained the sort-of dubious purpose behind becoming a captain.
"Wait. Aun-Lixa? If this is New Aun-Lixa then uhhhhhnnnynnnnn......."
"Yes, Aun Lixa. Upon the Lunar surface stands our ancient capital, which is mirrored by the very city we stand in." Liinei gazed up.It was visible, even during such bright daytime.
"The full Moon is within a few days. That's what made my admission to the force so hasty. Additionally I am quite sure that the timing of our mission is because of the full Moon as well." They continued.
As they talked during their walk to a more commercial district of the city, the density of other people grew. Once they made it to a square there was a whole sea of new soldiers enveloping every merchant's store and craftperson's shop.
Only a few statues of saints broke out from this blanket over the quarter. There was no other choice but to walk among the crowded streets to wherever their captain led.
"I'm noticing, why are these recruits going to weaponsmiths? Surely not all of them would need something special?" Ari questioned. It seems like they were anticipated with all sorts of wares, but it was still not enough to sate the sheer numbers out on the streets.
"I say they're in over their heads. No way the common footsoldier would need an infused weapon or the like." The other girl remarked, and they really were mostly surrounded by ordinary infantrymen.
"Then what about your daggers? What gives, don't say you're picky?" Returned the serval.
"Shut it, or you'll feel them in your abdomen sooner or later."
...
...
...
That was exhausting. Real exhausting. Even more than a day of training.
The trip was unremarkable, perhaps for the better. She was measured by a tailor, handed her shortsword and field equipment, and they even had time to get her shoes fitted while Cat was off at the post office.
Only a couple other groups could be seen as they returned to the street of the Luna Vis headquarters. The empty houses weren't as desolate now. Some lights brightened the indoors so they could see after the conclusion of setting sun.
One of the doors was unlocked by Liinei letting them make their way upstairs.
"This one's mine." They continued upstairs, Catarina stayed on a middle floor and went into her own living.
A key was handed to Ari, in front of a door on the top floor.
A place of my own?
Once the door was shut behind her the small but cozy room took her in. The ceiling was slanted on one side for the roof, under which sat her target, the bed. The last minutes of sunset were in clear view from the window it was under.
My head...
I suppose it is clearer than it was when I woke up.
My head. How did I not die? From that injury from the others at camp...
Looking back, I know the feeling now. In the exam, I felt it plenty.
Death.
Only on that thought she fell asleep.
Or rather, into a dream.
So much fog, fog in front of her.
Fog from her head, for it had shattered.
Whispers and echoes reverberate only in her head.
Tears, rolling down her face.
She did not want it, she did not want to.
The offer she declined.
Fog occludes it all, but she is sure.
Sure that she relented.
Trial by fire
Sunrise awoke her. The blinds weren't closed all night.
She rubbed her face and eyes, wet from tears.
A small washstand aided in support and in cold water when she stumbled to lean on it. Far from a pleasant first night...
Her instinct was to suppress the back of her mind creeping the same sentiments from that nightmare back into the forefront. Occupying herself helped a little, getting an early start with her apparel and new equipment.
They did give her a standing mirror. Unveiling it from beneath a tarp, she got a look at herself. A little pose with her sword out wouldn't hurt.
A knock on her door did, however. If not for the shock, she could have slid her sword right back in the sheath.
"Sorry sorry I'm going one second please!"
She fumbled with everything she got her hands on but managed to put the weapon back and open the door.
"Morning, gal." In the doorway stood Lassimer, the third instructor. "Mind if I come in?"
"Oh. Good morning Instructor." She reciprocated and let him in.
"You're up early. Thought you'd be a night person. Go figure." He remarked.
"Are there squads that work at night?" Ariel asked while rummaging to see if she had at least a drink to offer her visitor.
"There's a couple in Luna Vis. You don't plan on switching already I hope?" He waved off her search and beckoned her to sit down.
"Not what I was getting at..." She obliged, sitting down across from her senior.
"Well what I was getting at is your motivations. We are aware it's a very personal question for your kind, but how did you get... turned? Infected? I don't know the exact term."
What he was saying made no sense to her in the slightest. She looked concerned by trying to think of the answer.
"Oh dear... I did not mean to offend, do not take it as that please." Her baffled expression must have given the wrong idea, having prompted further apology.
"No it's not that, actually..." she paused "I've always been like this, my entire life."
"That's quite strange. Were you born on the current layer then somehow? I've never heard of any case like that." Lassi said in speculation.
"I was found and taken in as an infant. I can't elaborate further, because I just don't know." Ari seemed a bit sad over know knowing the answers to these questions herself.
Their conversation died with this, but at least the morning sun still shined gently. Not much later it was time to go. Lassimer accompanied her to headquarters, handing her and Catarina off to Liinei.
...
"So what, we just look over this guy from across the street the whole time?" Cat was growing frustrated.
"You're just trying to get ahead of me, don't try to hide it Catarina!" Ari interjected. "You want all the information to do whatever it is you do and take all the credit!"
"Hey, you two..." Their captain tried to step in.
"Oh really? Why is it that NOW you want to be the proactive, drunkard!"
"I DON'T DRINK! THAT WAS JUST THE ONE TIME!"
At this point Liinei couldn't help it and slammed down on the table and stood up, turning them both silent.
"The intel report is late. We can only assume that something came up with either the delivery or in the worse case, the gathering." The captain kept cool when the others could not.
The map laid on the table with the marked path of the Ambassador they will need to guard through the city, and guide once they leave the protection of its walls.
They all traced the path again and settled on their plan to cover every scenario their limited knowledge could warrant.
...
Well, he's not what I expected.
"Foreign politicians are never what you think. I can see you are perplexed, Ariel."
"He's doing the speech to further dipolacy? Try they might, but asewicJ will always be the closest ally of Tavatha." Catarina was boasting a little about her home being close with the Lunar nation.
"Well, history is history." The lunar replied.
The robed man was accopanied by his own cohort of guards who he left behind as he stepped up to speak to the crowd of many commoners and nobles, both lunar and human.
.......
"-trade relations and our ports will be open to many ships. In terms of gunpowder shipments we-"
.......
"-will be risen as our honorable family Togeichi signed the treaty in Aun Lixa over the duration of my stay. Thank you all for attending."
Damn he was just talking and talking and talking for so long.
Ari yawned but was still observing, as the Ambassador took one last wave as he stepped down and reassessed with his own guard. She and her team sat incognito in a boutique across the speech, but now was time to get up and tail them.
"Let us move." The captain said, the two returned nods in confirmation.
The afternoon was lazy. Even the center was empty on a day this hot. At least there were many parts of the route that provided shade. First some tall houses were providing shadow.
After the blistering heat caught them for a little, they were cooled by a massive church blotting out the sun above them. Catarina offered a whispered prayer as they quickly walked past. They had to catch up with the escorted group after this point, captain's orders.
The housing and the trees completely covered them from the heat of the sun now. The edge of the city was near and all was quiet.
A lone aristocrat approaching raised nobody's attention but for one reason another the serval's hair stood to no end. Just a few of the guards looked as the man raised his hand to invite a handshake, but the motion continued and grace shot out.
Oh shit.
"EVERYONE IN FORMATION!!!!" Catarina commanded, being the closest to the group but several of them were dismembered by subsequent slashes.
"You, get away, call backup!" She pulled one aside and shoved them to run for help.
Ari was ready to approach the lone assailant but wavered, seeing the short bridge they stood upon get climbed up on the sides by even more people.
Are these civilians? Wait, they have weapons.
Quickly readying for crowd control, she put her sword away and manifested a halberd, glowing gold.
"Ariel, face the ones on the side. Catarina, eyes." Liinei spoke, but then most unexpectedly sped past her in a way she had seen once before.
Catarina followed, jumping into the middle of combat expecting Ari to back her up. She faced the man who took down the ambassador, who was immediately frozen in place.
Only from her peripheral, she saw Liinei rush with incredible speed, leaving a trail of sparking grace behind.
Immediately the assassin was grabbed by the captain, and slammed into the ground breaking pavement. While still low down they grabbed a handful of gravel and threw them at the others, exploding them mid-air with grace.
No way!!! Instructor Massette's ability?!
Ari now had an opening and put her weight behind each slash she carried with her long weapon.
Liinei was kicked away by the man, he was not yet down. With an open palm he slashed further with his ability as he pursued the captain in paired combat.
"It's futile, let me assist you instead, Ariel!"
"Go right ahead..." Ari let out, between deep breaths in the midst of fighting.
Catarina took no time and ensnared two enemies with strings of grace the green grace she weaved.
From behind Ari also saw the close combat between Liinei's unarmed swings and the enemy's yellow black-splashed grace doing little to deter him.
A loud whistle took the commotion by surprise, it must have been a signal as all the assailants save for the leader took their weapons and discharged the infusions inlaid within. This made it so fire erupted in every direction, as Ari failed to notice oil kegs strapped to the bridge's supports.
Three things happened simultaneously.
Liinei laid a deciding strike on the enemy leader.
A masked, hooded figure shouldered the bloody corpse of the ambassador.
And Ariel, grabbing Catarina much the same, exchanged a glance with them, before abandoning the bridge about to explode.
It rung out, sending them with the shockwave and shaking up this quiet part of the city.
"PUT ME DOWN AT ONCE, FOUL DEMON!" She screamed.
"You know, calling me that entices the idea of throwing you right down into the river heavily."
"YOU TWO!! THE SHADY FIGURE WENT TO YOUR SIDE, TRACK THEM!" A shout from across made their course forward clear.
A cohort of city guard arrived as backup but the only thing to do was fight the fire and rescue survivors. They were waved off by the two Luna Vis running to chase their target.
The pursued climbed up a rope onto the roof of the several stories tall building in no time, and threw the rope off.
Need to find another way.
Catarina took her grace string and unlatched a fire exit's ladder which swung down. Ari went first practically flying up several stories following.
The city's entire view was visible as they ran along and jumped from roof to roof.
Cat could barely keep up after Ari making her way across scaffoldings and slippsry roof tiles the serval could easily jump across.
"Don't lose him!" She shouted to the serval ahead.
"Not planning to!!"
It seemed like Ari was finally catching up, at the end of a long narrow roof. The figure took the plunge, onto the top of a peculiar chapel underneath.
Even for the church district this one was out of place, with snakes inlaid in the pillars supporting the pillar on the center of the star shaped building.
What does a place like this have to do in New Aun-Lixa?
No time to deliberate, she took the plunge right away, landing on the walkway on chapel roof.
...
Catarina was following but it took her almost half a minute to reach Ariel who for some reason was still on that chapel, where Cat presumed she touched down after jumping.
"Hey!! What's up with you? Get up, you lost him!"
She turned Ari over to face her.
...
At the instant she touched down, everything around Ariel turned black. Not like how the exam's illusion was, nor like dying.
This was instant. Everything but her own self was void.
What is this? This darkness is not like before, it's cold.....
Time was moving weird. It felt like an hour passed in one second, and every second of that felt like no time at all.
Only a few feet from her own, emerged from a veil of flat blackness the lower half of a white face. Paler than pale, whiter than white.
Ariel immediately started crying blood.
"Thou becometh, of illness."
The mouth on the face did not even move, the sound was everywhere around Ari but in her body and mind, perhaps even her soul felt the words uttered through something trying to appear somehow familiar, showing smidge of human visage.
Ill... ...ness...
...
"Are you okay? Shit, I need to get help." She saw Ari unresponsive, possibly unconscious and with her eyes bleeding there was no other option.
From her pocket she grabbed a tool she was not used to handling. She gripped the white object, and placed her other hand on the back of the first. Focusing on the captain, she initiated a mind message.
"Captain Liinei, this is Catarina. Ariel's out, I need assistance on the roof of the Harae church southwest of the attack."
"Divinity I beg, please let that message be clear..."
She looked back to Ari who was squirming a little. Then, her eyes opened.
For a moment Cat could swear the sclera were a pestilent green, but they turned into a blazing yellow before she could comprehend.
Oh well... I'm done for now, huh?
She tried to jump away but didn't get out from the demon's grasp unscathed as streaks of skin were lacerated by sharp claws. Still, with one arm bloodied she held up her two daggers and looked into her beastly comrade's eyes once more.
She was totally not herself. Lunging at Cat making animalistic sounds and swinging wildly, it was clear Ari's mind was gone.
Got you now...
Her pale blue eyes met with Ari's now yellow pair, Catarina activated her own grace ability.
As her green grace partly surrounded her, white flakes of it also began to flow out. And as soon as it was active, Ari's arm twitched and wrung from pain in the same places Catarina's was slit open.
Though this was successful Ari still made a leap and wrestled her down completely. No way that amount of pain would deter a best with no regard for the self. She saw into the hollow eyes of the bloodlusted friend she was now fighting to the death.
A struggle on the roof tiles not in the favor of Cat even with two short weapons such as hers. One ended up in Ari's side but this only aggravated her further, it seemed.
There truly was no help at this point, she continued to get savaged by the one demon she thought she could trust, the pain of each slash upon her reflecting back to the feral serval.
She's gonna kill me, and die with me.....
And die alongside....
I guess I finally did it, huh? You'll finally be proud of me.... Father......
...
As the darkness faded in she could tell this truly was it.
...
...
...
"She's in a bad shape. Are you sure you want to see her?"
Lassimer... what is that old codger doing here?
"Listen, I have to know. I must know what I've done."
Ari? She didn't die with me... haha... I thought I put up a good fight at least....
...
Her hands were touched by wet, but warm paws. Wet from tears.
"I'm so sorry."
Necessary Approach
This is bad. I might not have much time. The captain's mind raced as to what could be awaiting them.
Thankfully their grace was attuned to body enhancement. As they already memorized the map of the surrounding are as well, the location of the church in question was clear.
Now it was only a race against the clock to save Ari and assist Catarina.
Clearly upon the rooftops laid broken tiles indicating the path the two beginners took after the runaway terrorist. Since Liinei's grace usage was way more efficient than some rookie, using it to speed up by exploding the rubble under their feet as they ran could've afforded.
With efficiency and finesse, the light bodied lunar soared through high in the air just before landing at the gruesome scene.
They expected this to happen, sooner or later. I'd at least hoped it would've come later.
A stream of blood flowed down the tiles and into the gutters, trailing down from the scene still taking place.
Horrific crunching and the ripping of flesh were coming from their subordinate hunched over the other.
"Stop that at once!" Liinei commanded.
She froze, ears perked up she raised her stance slightly.
They could not bear to stand by any longer, thus they began to approach. A quick charge led to Ari jumping up and attacking savagely at the lunar.
It was all evaded, yet it was clear that the demon was faster in this instance. She took deep, loud breaths, eyes affixed on her new prey.
Now facing Liinei it was clearly visible that her face and hair and mouth were dripping with the blood of Catarina. Her clothes were torn,but her body showing from underneath was uninjured. As a demon she must have healed from the flesh and blood she consumed.
Her eyes turned yellow, just as he said. A demon losing themselves in bloodlust... What a dreadful scene. It means I must turn her back to normal, by force.
Once again the grace trail followed Liinei, who had landed a single punch upon Ari, then jumped back. It was a soft hit, she did not even slide back?
She was confused, but not caring enough to notice residual clay on her shoulder and torso which promptly detonated tearing a hole in the roof of the chapel. Ari fell down into the rafters of the building and was followed to be attacked once more.
Her claws ripped the chest of her captain open, yet no blood spilled from the lunar. Instead she saw right then how Liinei's injuries melded just like her previous ones did.
"You expected nourishment, I take it? I'll give you grace in a different form, if you so desire..."
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHGGRGGRGRRRRRRR"
She was fully enraged, her grace flowing out from all ends. It looked tainted, with a sickly dark green.
I'm sorry, Ariel. I'll try not to kill you as I save you.
Dark blue grace obscured what the lunar was about to do as they were encircled by the demon. She ran around the wooden beams that held up the cupola, looking for the right moment to attack.
When she found it she kicked herself off the structure and lunged directly for the throat. Yet, the prey was not there.
Strands of grace followed the captain as they dodged out of the was with a loud gust of the wind. Now she was the once encircled, hit in the back with a palm strike and sent with air pressure crashing headfirst out of the room through a wall.
What ensued was a true test of the speed and strength her body could muster. Somehow her claws did less and less harm, the slashes ending up as only sparks sent off from her slashes. They were pummeling her with a flurry right back.
Quite hard to solidify in the midst of battle, had she had her senses it would be easy to exploit.
The serval demon was so infuriated she emitted vast amounts of grace while ever more frantically swinging, directly for the face and neck. As soon as her tainted grace touched them it left a portion of their hand unusable.
It must end quick, should she overpower and win. Savagely attacking, her grace ended up almost everywhere one could step or move through. Ari took one blow to rid the lunar of their eyes, but it was her vision that was taken, by grace.
It had been a thick smoke even her unaware self could recognize, burning her slightly. But the burns were the least of her worries as immediately she was viciously beaten surely breaking many bones and finally knocking her out.
"The utmost mercy, is to allow for peace. So said the Prophet. Rest easy, Ariel."
For what is to come
A sickening taste and smell of metal and salt filled her senses. The throbbing headache came right after.
What happened? Is that..... in my mouth........?
Oh no no no no no I have to make myself sick....
"Illness"
She no longer needed to try to be sick and promptly emptied her stomach in a basin.
The only thing that came out was bitter stomach acid...
Once her teary eyes from vomiting were unblurred she realized she was in a hospital room.
Shit, my head feels absolutely unbearable...
Flashes of her point of view from earlier plagued her weary state.
I know better than to question if that was a dream...
Dreams don't make me taste blood.
She heard a brief pair of knocks. The hinge was operated and the door was pushed in, captain Liinei let themselves inside the room.
"Hello there Arie-"
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so so so so sorry I will accept any punishment I am deemed for." She interrupted.
Her tears began to flow fueled by guilt unlike she's ever felt before.
"I'm a murderer. I'm never to be forgiven. Take me away."
"Calm down. Please. Just sit down and let us talk." They sat down in example to the girl in distress over her actions.
"Are you aware of Patrons?" The captain asked plainly.
"I've got no clue what a patron is, Sir." She wiped her face clean but her voice was still caught up in the lump in her throat.
"I see. That makes things both simpler and way more complicated at once. What happened at the Harae church can be put behind us in this instance."
The words she heard failed to resolve her guilt but seemed like a small glint of hope, to a path which she could go down to redeem her actions. She kept silent.
"Follow me, would you?" They led out.
The two of them made their way down a hallway. The quiet tapping of rain on the window separating them from the dark outside was an uneasy reminder of what she had to do to get to this point.
It was back then, when I first tasted it... I'm so awful.
Captain Liinei stopped just before a certain door. There was nobody, not a soul nearby.
Room 232
Ari's thoughts went in every possible direction and her expression betrayed, her showing her distress.
"She is within this room." The Captain said.
"Let me in." Ari stated... No. Demanded.
"She's in a bad shape. Are you sure you want to see her?"
"Listen, I have to know. I must know what I've done. My sins are my own."
"So ahead then. I will not stop you." They stepped aside.
sick
ill
She looked over her freshly healed scars on her hands.
incurable
imperfect
The doorway is behind her now.
ailing, sick
poorly, ill, unwell
She is in front of her now.
disordered
unsavable
Collapsed on her knees and crying, she extended her hand to brush against Catarina's.
...
......
..
..
....
"I'm so sorry."
Might it end
Another morning.
It's been a week. I haven't seen her since.
On her table sat another daily press she got, still discussing the untimely death of ambassador Togeichi.
Can they just shut up about it already?
She could read the headline just fine in the dark, but for the fine print she needed daylight.
With a swoosh she threw the blinds open.
Sigh.... Uhh. What.
She spoke her thoughts aloud without intending to.
"The captain. Waving. Outside my window."
She was tempted to shut the blinds right away but her hand teetered to open the window.
Liinei didn't even wait for it to be fully open and crawled inside without a hint of patience. The squeeze made a few things fall out of their pack.
I really didn't need this right now.
"Good morning Ariiiiiiii" The greeting extended the whole way of them gathering everything from the floor and getting up, only ending after being told to: "Go away."
"Oh, but surely you'd want this? A local delicacy...."
What the captain held out looked completely inedible to the girl. What looked to be a row of crystals on a small stick, with cloudy opaque colors from violet to green and turquoise, the things they gathered from the ground.
"So you think you can give me treats like a dog, make me okay again?" She pouted.
"I'm not that unrealistic. I'm serious, I mean it so much, I'll eat with you." They said as it was a huge deal.
"What does that have to do with anything?" Ari asked.
"You see, Ariel. Lunars eat only on rare occasion. The most common is once a month..." A surprising fact putting weight behind the proposal.
"Fine, I'll hear you out." They sat down at the messy table.
Taking a small bite made Ari's sweet crack in half and crumble onto the table, as well as fill her mouth with an earthy, but sweet fruity taste that reminded her of her childhood summers spent picking wild strawberries.
"That's good..."
"My pleasure, then." Liinei said, eating theirs more efficiently. "As for the matter of my visit, it is not what you might think."
Actually that's what I expected. To have not a clue. "So you say."
As several more kinds of strange edible things left the bag their discussion unfolded.
"You are up for execution."
Huh.
"I've done what I can, but my authority extended as far as its limits do." They continued.
"When did I ever ask for that? As much as I'd like to save my own skin I really don't see why I deserve this treatment."
"Deserve or not, we still hold interest in you, and if anything you can see yourself as an asset. But trust me on this matter, that does not lead to anywhere good." Liinei had her best interest in mind.
"So what then, imprisonment until I'm ripe and old?"
"Quite a fool you are acting, Ariel. I've... Negotiated down your sentence. That is the most plain I can put it. I cannot explain more. Not before your divination, taking place tomorrow. Be sure not to miss it."
The apartment fell empty and she had not moved, not even for quite a while after the captain had left.
Everyone has to live with regrets...
Perhaps amicably
She was to show up at the headquarters, and show up she did.
Not by some miracle it was that she happened by early, but by a sleepless night.
So quiet. Fitting for a funeral.
Each step rung out with an echo in the spacious main hall as she walked directly to Lauhka at the reception desk, the only person in sight.
"East wing, fifth door on the right." She said in a single tone, without even lifting her eyes. Her instructions were followed. Ari knocked on the door and entered when a few seconds passed without response.
Blackness surrounded her in a way once again she had not experienced before. she tried looking around and moving, but her hands were bound and the thing restricting her vision and breathing filtered tiny pricks of light into her eyes from the outside.
A bag over my head? I spent so much time on my hair for today... Even in her mind she was sarcastic.
The corridoors she was promptly led through made zero sense to her. Even if she tried to memorize the way they went she would not be able to.
The ones who accompanied her in this traversal were walking in step, and she couldn't tell how many there were.
At least they're not pushing me around...
I can't even tell how long it's been, My head was a mess without this...
Two bashes on the door and the entourage left. She was guided into the room and sat down into a chair.
The veil was lifted, her hands remained still bound. She was in a small dark room with a small display in front of her with a handful of cards laid out on top.
"Ariel Mathison. Please confirm that is your own name." A man's voice sounded out, one that she did not recognize.
"Yep, that's what I'm called" She knew not to resist in a situation like this.
"You divination will now begin. My name is Louvac, Aphelion Royal guard. You must be from the Kenoma division?" He pondered as he walked into view, revealing he was a male lunar of tall stature.
Aphelion? Tesu's there...
"Luna Vis, actually."
"Truly? Not expected, but a welcome surprise. As for your divination, treat it like a visit to the dentist..."
Ohhhhh no.
"Now, come closer. Upon these prayer cards each lay the common Patron saints of our world." Indeed there were many, too many to run through before the next question came.
Plania of Deception
Change of Luna
Yandra the Sentence
Albinoth of Love
Chancoclour the Usurper
Harae... of Justice...
"Which of these would be one that we're working with today?"
"They label her as Just?" She walked closer and gave a furrowed look at the inaccurate depiction on the card.
"Looks nothing like her either. But yes, it is Harae." She said nonchalantly somehow turning a lunar pale.
"You've had a vision of the Serpent Queen? Having one is a miracle by itself, but with the Lady of Senescense is another matter. As we take it, the incident was the fault of this Patron's interference?" He questioned after her casual response illicited quite a surprise.
"Yes, quite horrific in fact..." She responded trying not to recall too many details.
"I understand." He promptly left the room and for a few minutes Ari had time to look over the cards again, not to delve further into the memory.
Plania... Not my thing... of all people, Tesu would benefit from deception...
Change? Oh yeah, that's who most of the few lunar churches out there are to...
Yandra, punishment. If anything, that's what I deserve, but the thing over his hands looks less than comfortable.
Albinoth is just weird looking. Are they really a two torsoed entity having a perpetual marriage to istelf?
Chancoclour... that's one I've never heard about, but it just makes me feel weird. Somehow the hood reveals more than it hides. Even the card looks worn out, hardly anyone must worship this one...
And Harae...
"Refer to me as Sin."
The voice came back, somehow. Her head throbbed once more, but way weaker and not enough to set her off again by a longshot.
"Oh, not you again. Have you any idea how much you messed things up for me?" She thought back in response without being able to hide how angry she was at the cause of her troubles.
Bastard patron of my loss of self, damn witch.
Once more she was not alone in the room. Although she expected Louvac to return, a different man, wearing a blindfold had entered in his stead.
"Greetings, Ariel. I am Father Vagras." The older human said. "Getting acquainted with the patrons, I see?"
He seemed nice. Ari could totally tell he wasn't gonna make things hard for her.
"Oh I'm more than acquainted a certain one. Are you the one doing my Divination? I've got no clue what it even is..."
"That damn Louvac, always so hasty. Worry not, your championing patron can be shackled by the right chains." He sounded like it was an everyday occurence, and he must have had hundreds of these 'procedures' behind his words.
"Hold on. Champion?" She was a little more happy learning something cen be done even if it was sinister, but that part stuck out to her.
"He didn't explain a thing, did he? The lesser Saint Harae... is connected with you."
Her heart skipped a beat upon hearing this.
"Put it in words I can understand, geezer! That doesn't make sense!" She lashed out in rejection.
"Very well. What I am here for is to confine the Patron that has chosen you and imprinted onto your soul, by the power of another higher power."
"That can help? This thing sent me out for who knows how long... You probably know all about it."
"It is simple in theory but can vary in practice. You will know once it happens."
He then guided her hand to the Patron saint Yandra's prayer card. "This one suits your needs the most. In time you shall know the time and place, we leave the rest only to you."
The card got stuck to her palm and embedded the symbol of Yandra's sigil, and surrounded her hand in a peculiar glowing pattern.
It was only a matter of time until the new entity made their demand in exchange for what Ariel sought.
Untimely redemption
Pensive knocking could be heard on her door reflecting the visitor's demeanor. She wasn't expecting anyone and therefore she was not dressed in her garb and cape like before.
Of course she wouldn't be, after everything...
Still, she cracked the door to answer.
"Name yourself."
"It's me..."
"Ariel? Of all times you come now? No matter, come on in." She was invited inside to which she awkwardly obliged.
"So. What's with the sudden visit?" She presented Ari a seat, then sat down herself.
"It wasn't my first idea, you know. The captain is always like this, having me figure things out by myself... At least he pointed me to you this time." The serval's explained as her ears were flipped back in shame for intruding on the one she hurt.
"Liinei's a he to you? I call them they but most people don't care to do so. I thought you two would have talked about this by now..." Cat played with her hair in thought.
"But enough of that. What did you need me of all people for?"
Talk about what...?
"Oh, yes. I need your help in fulfilling my divination contract..." Now her nervousness peaked. Asking a clergywoman to help make pact with what is basically a pagan higher being?
"I know it's practically heretical for you to-"
"I'll help."
"Huh? But I haven't even explained..."
"Does that matter? We need you for the team, and without accidents like last week. Consider me in." She was serious, much to Ari's disbelief.
Ari sighed. Somehow the part she deemed the hardest would come the easiest. There was much more to be done, however. To gain the favor of an Outer God was no small feat. Either way it was time to leave, the list would not get shorter by staying idle.
...
Harsh intervals of stinging sunlight hit them as they crossed inbetween buildings in the still early day. They walked side by side, Ari had shielded her eyes from the bright light, covering Cat as well by extension.
"It's nice here..." Ari held a wavering smile. The path they took was right on the edge of a park. She let the feeling go, the walk was too nice.
For the better part of an hour they walked in and along a park, filled with lunars enjoying their time on the surface layer.
"Truthfully the only time I've seen a lunar before the capital was when I was only a young child." Catarina admitted.
"And? Were you inspired to join Uvica then?" Ari returned with a question.
"Heavens, no. I got so scared I ran away crying. They found me two days later hiding in someone's attic." She made a more embarassing statement. "How about you?"
"Bootcamp, Instructor Massette." A simple answer.
"I see you got a more than welcome introduction then. Or so I'm told..."
"What's that mean? You fancy her?" She couldn't help herself and leaned over in a smirk, walking backwards.
"I was just told, that's all. Don't know about any of this fancying business anyways." Cat replied completely unfazed, it was not a bluff.
The walk had slowly turned into a hike as the path merged into a trail, and the incline went higher as they continued. Now covered by trees, the sun was evenly covered and the lingering summer morning air remained in the pleasant hillside.
Once a they met an altitude almost a couple hundred meters higher than the city level, a clear part on the hills showed themselves. Upon this sat a monument inscribed with the image of a fading crescent moon, carved from the same black stone that made up the rock they stood on top of. Ari's goal here was easy.
An old caretaker allowed her to purchase a candle, she then walked to the opposite side of the monument and placed the candle on the small shrine for the Patron Saint Yandra. The candle was lit with the smallest flicker of grace from her fingertip, glowing gold among a sea of mostly green, but some blue flames as well. None had been of a demon's grace.
Down the way, along the path they stopped at a cliff guarded by a railing.
"How come you're fine with this? You're of the Western span of the clergy... You don't meddle with Patrons..."
"You really need to ask me again? The answer is the same, we need you. But what about you? You're just fine with being a vessel to one?" Cat posed as a counter. Ari really hadn't given it any thought.
"Thing is, I don't remember how this came to be, even. Me being a demon, a vessel, anything. It's just what it's always been like." Admitted the serval.
"You don't remember turning? Were you born as one? But you're nineteen, how are you grown up?" Catarina was now more focused on this matter.
Ari looked at the Patron sigil on her hand and tried to recall. Even if it hurt, even if it was incoherent or just subconscious semblances of what might have been her past.
I cannot recall my Mother. Not even images of what could have been. But some feeling was there, if only for a moment. Some sort of warmth, a close relative. Two of them, actually. Can't seem to hold a single detail. Some... argument? It was something I myself had to decide. Things changed after that...
"It's so faint it might not even be there. I'm sure I was born this way."
She looked over the view from the cliff. A sight of New Aun-Lixa's outskirts and even the surrounding countryside of a few fields, and moss and snow capped mountains met her gaze.
"Heh, I'd offer you a prayer but I'm not trying to risk being taken by a sudden rapture, you foul beast." Cat smirked and laughed, starting to walk off from the spot.
"Hey!!! You're not getting away with this!!!!!!!" She ran after.
"Better catch me then!! Mongrel creature!!!!!" Catarina yelled back while running ahead.
What I hope is to keep chasing her, just like this. In the way you would a friend.
Hear ye, hear ye
Ari managed to dust herself off after the huge fall she took on the unkept hillside path. Now stood in front of the courthouse near the city center, she couldn't worry less about her appearance, as entering the house of law gave her an uneasy feeling regardless.
Neither of them knew the way to the building, so they weren't exactly early. The path ahead was now clear, and the courtroom awaited the hearing with the two Luna Vis sat within the Jury.
A notary walked up to the judge who was already within his seat without Ari and Cat noticing, and as they left it only took a few glances from him to make a few motions.
In walked the defendant led only by city guards. The man, clearly in a Uvica uniform was obviously shaken. Perhaps he knew the likely outcome? The outcome will arrive just the same, whether he feared it or not.
"On behalf of our fair society and House Yuela, let us begin with the procession." Opened the judge. "Dafydd of Gouge, you are here today for accusations of the crime of murder, by two counts of slaying your own kin within your unit. What say you in regard to these here crimes?" Commanded the judge for answers.
Ari's heart sunk. These were nigh the same things she has commited. Was she about to see what would be done with her, had she not been looked out for by her Captain?
"Your honor the entire thing was a misunderstanding. Our assignment had us go through the Fifth layer, they became Hellwalkers! Surely you understand, demons devour men! I was merely defending myself!" The man responded. Many in the jury spoke amongst each other with murmured and hushed tones.
"Ari, he's full of it." Cat leaned to her to let Ari in on what she knew. "Hellwalkers aren't full demons and don't often lose themselves to the hunger. Let alone if they turned recently."
"Does that mean they were innocent?"
"Definitely. He's trying to get off scot free on self-defense. No witnesses, trying to appeal to common sense. Scum."
"..."
The judge listened to Dafydd's appeal, and looked over the case.
"They were a threat to you? I find that hard to believe. We have many afflicted within our forces." The judge rationalized, as Cat was predicting.
"Your honor, with all due respect. We were on the trail of the cult of Hi-"
"Enough." The gavel slammed down silencing the entire courtroom. He then held the gavel up, and on the bare wall behind him appeared a symbol, one that Ari recognized, for it mirrored the one embedded on her hand. A circle of made of rope, with an eye in the middle: the sign of Yandra.
"By our patron of Punishment, your grace is forfeit." He brought the gavel down and pointed it to him. An ethereal pillory manifested around the defendant's hands, continually sapping his grace away.
"Dismissed." With the case finished, the guards came to lead him away.
The jury broke out in conversation as the guilty man was led to the exit struggled and shouted.
"You can't do this! Why me? Why not the fiends? They are from Hell! Like that one! Just sitting there with everyone else!!" This drew quite a lot of looks to Ari, who wasn't exactly blending into the crowd with light tan fur and silver hair, large ears protruding from her head.
Basically everyone was looking at her now.
"Me?"
"Well, isn't this curious? Here, of all places." The judge said in a genuinely intrigued tone.
"Her? She was here the whole time."
"Who is that?"
"Judge Shillian said they're just like us..."
"This came out of nowhere."
The chatter was overbearing as she froze in place.
"You're Ariel Mathison, are you not? Quite a record you have, it has crossed my desk several times now." The words she was hearing increased her panic more and more, she was shaking from it all.
"Bring her to the table."
Guards made their way over and brought her to it. She didn't even sit down, just stared. Directly at the judge.
"May we begin your procession? Our fair society and the House Yuela demand justice."
"y-yes..." She quitely responded, barely a whisper was all she was able to let out.
"I see. Ariel Mathison, involved in incidents of your internment to the Uvica forces and in your assignment only of last week. In slaying of two other would-be soldiers, heavily injuring two others, then in your mission you attempted murder once more. What could you possibly have to say for yourself, after we have extended this much patience, only for you to reoffend?" Judge Shillian hammered away at her crimes and with thme her confidence.
Ari was crushed. She remembered exactly what had happened back in bootcamp. The guilt overflowed all her emotions and the sign on her hand began to pulse with pain.
A man cleared his throat. He stood up and got the attention of the judge breaking everyone's focus on the horrific crimes being listed.
"Your honor... My report should have told you more than enough about the incident from the bootcamp. She acted completely in self defense, by the act of Change's Accord." He made a lawful argument against the judge's words.
The friendliest voice she had heard in what feels like an eternity let her snap out of her stillness.
"Lassimer. I see you will not back down on this matter."
"Not one to, your honor. It still stands though, I take it?"
"That is correct." He sounded frustrated. The law clearly was being twisted in a way he didn't like. "On that note, I would like to shift focus to the reoffence at hand."
"I did it." Her tight throat let everyone who heard it know the level of guilt behind the words uttered.
I have no other choice in this. It wouldn't be the right thing to do... I'm tired of sinning.
"Oh? I'd like to hear more." He was quite intrigued by the sudden admission of guilt.
"All I know is the result of my own actions... I cannot remember what happened. A patron took my mind but I am no less guilty."
This was the conclusion she arrived at from all that has happened, and if not for what would occur next this would have been enough to sentence her on the spot.
"Which is why we are on a strict mission to complete divination with her, by the Patron Yandra." Cat stood up and interjected.
"And who might you be?" Questioned judge Shillian, not expecting the pink haired girl next to where Ari sat to speak up.
"The victim of the crime in question, Your Honor." The entire courtroom was in shock. "Her divination began yesterday, to confine the patron she houses, Harae."
"And even then, Luna Vis has jurisdiction limits." Lassimer couldn't help but intrude.
The judge was set off now.
"Whatever she may be up to now, afflicted still face high punishment if they break the law. Could she have possibly proceeded by the proper course, laid out by the doctrines of what is required by law?"
"Yes, your honor. I myself laid out her divination." Another familiar voice from the jury, a blindfolded man. The very same father, who she was taken to the day before to select the proper course.
"You all think it is so straightforward?" The notary from before came up to him and handed another leaflet which he read after adjusting his small glasses.
"As it stands, two separate incidents perpetrated by an afflicted, and at least one fatal means the defendant may be subject to death. This was established by the Kenoma Demonic Division to deter further incidents and was applied to the entire force."
I knew it. I was so close, too.
"Then I might have some information to add. May I?" It was Catarina once more. She held up an envelope, the seal on it broken.
The upset lawman held his hand out and motioned to approach. Cat gave a look as she walked past Ari.
What the HELL is she doing?
Carefully opening the official looking, old-timey parchment, the judge unearthed a knowledge from the letter that laid within. Each line he read, the further his expression strayed from his confidence in the matter at hand.
"If... What I'm reading is correct, and by the seal.... It seems so... It cannot be... Ariel... Mathison is...."
Cat finished the sentence for him:
"An angel."
Silence.
Is she actually crazy?
"Miss Mathison. Please, briefly produce your grace from your ring." He commanded her in a completely different tone.
She obliged.
Her gold colored grace showed everything the affixed eyes needed to knew.
"This makes things vastly different. Consider the case dismissed, it is not my duty to handle this matter any further." With that he closed the session.
Immediately Lassimer rushed over to usher Ari and Catarina out safely.
They walked all the way back to headquarters with their senior, with barely a word spoken between them. The way back seemed short from the perspective of her racing thoughts, the orange hue of the afternoon city made everything look the same.
Ari instinctively went for the upstairs corner seat as it was the one place of comfort in the whole place for her. She seeped into the soft cushions and placed her face within her palms.
I don't understand what these things mean... It's all just too much.
"Pricks, all of them. At least it's all behind us now."
"Don't make light of this, Catarina-girl."
"I know. I was just as conflicted when i first read the letter." She placed it on the same coffee table the ring was on on that day.
So that's why she was at the post on the first day. She knew the whole time. Did the captain know too...?
The brown parchment unwrapped once again to tell the truth of Ariel the angel.
The paper beyond the clergy's wax seal relayed:
Dear Catarina,
We are glad you wrote, by our Father above we are blessed to have you carry the name of Jasewic.
The matter of the girl you wrote of is utmost intriguing. We determined your observations correct, even the Apostle agreed with your conclusion. The coloration you described cannot be mistaken.
The girl, Ariel, is in fact an Angel. Of what, we are not sure of yet. Remain with her further, and it will certainly come clear; as out Father above wills it so.
Your mission remains the same still. Hence, adhere to it with the depths of your heart.
May we correspond further in the future, Father Ephraim.
...
Everything is clear yet nothing makes sense. I don't even know if this is a good thing or not.
Her head was reeling from it all. Without a word she up and left. They let her, they could never truly understand but they knew. And that is what truly mattered.
So she walked without particular cause, yet in a direction that was significant.
An angel. I know so little even after reading about them all my life.
She tried to recall anything from all the books, religious texts, even anecdotes Father Kanan told her in her youth.
They have not come in hundreds of years. None have descended, the only ones to be found are dead or something else...
I must finish what I started.
Just over the lively evening street stood the church of Yandra. It was finally time.
Over the valley
She just looked.
It stood among the other buildings, as if it were just another place of commerce.
It was not built to be unremarkable, just that the rest of the street hugged around the tall piece carved and chiseled granite, as high as it would tower by itself. Inlaid in the stone were cylindrical insets making way for statues of the Saint's likeness.
Each step she took she was almost swept aside while she crossed the current of pedestrians, approaching the decorated doors across from where she idled.
Shoves and pushes came and went. Then she felt her hand being tugged and when she realized what was happening she was already in the church bewildered.
"Welcome. You've kept us waiting."
She found the one that dragged her in, now the reception she was extended led her to approach without a thought.
"Do I know you?" Replied Ari to the mitery person.
"No, but I could tell exactly who you were. You practially reek of the snake witch. Now, follow me if you wish to keep your agency."
Now that's a threat...
"Who even are you?" She asked as she obliged in following the woman with tied up brown hair. She did not seem like any priest or religious woman.
No response. The decorated interior halls flowed to the altar in the center. The two now stood on the mat before central sigil representing the Patron. To Ari it looked like a weird wreath.
"Kneel." Cold command.
"Now you're pushing it! Who do you think you are?" Ari couldn't stand the way she was handled by her any longer.
"This could have went easier, Ariel." The intimidating white-clad woman stepped right up with an intent stare, then tapped Ari's forehead with a single finger.
The darkness rushed in, just as the moment when she stepped down on the Harae church sending Ari to recoil from the memory. But what shocked her even more than being back in this plane of darkness was that the mysterious woman and the sigil behind her remained in the same place and entered this place along with her.
She's like me! That has to be it! So this was the reason the whole time!
"You! You've got a Patron with you too!" Ari was exhilarated but relieved, now a clear solution was in sight. A savior stood tall in front of her in the place she was most hopeless in.
"No, not quite like you. I am a mere Champion. Will of the Saint Yandra, Sors."
Finally the introduction was delivered, but there was no reason or time to return it by Ariel. The white figure was hazy this time. A pale arm reached towards her but it dissipated when it moved close to the sigil.
"Cease. Futility."
The thoughs were spoken and resonated in both their minds.
"We must immure the Patron Harae. The matter is up to you, Ariel. With this you must apprehend the being." Sors materialized a whip into the hands of the serval.
It was unlike a regular or even grace weapon, it was the mere outline of the lenght of the unusual striking weapon.
Of all things I'd be happy to use... This is not the one.
She understood the assignment and placed all of her hope and intuition into making a decisive strike the moment an opportunity arose.
Her resolve was built up, the first step took no deliberation and was in the direction the hand arose before. Even with the lack of sound from any footstep that was took or even her own heartbeat, she knew Sors followed her away from the sigil into the darkness.
The further the two ran for a time there was pure nothingness. But once there was a hint of change, it all began to unfold. Running forward tiny white blots appeared in the floor, and formed upwards into hands reaching out of an unseen ground as she bolted further.
That... is.... pretty........
What she saw was in the outline of the hands and forearms rising and reaching made it so the blackness that they filtered looked like a field of flowers, only in negative. They even wavered in a wind that could not be felt, for there was no air in this plane.
From her preipheral Ari spotted an out of place piece of whiteness, it was the face in the dark appearing once more. It was so, so far away yet she knew it was the God once more.
She turned back towards Sors. "I see her! Come on!"
The field stretched way out from where they were, and as she looked back she saw a longer way than she remembered crossing. No matter, the path to advance was now obvious. Racing towards the face, Ari exerted her breath and fell, rolling over and still crawling at the distant visage.
"It is still just as far away." The champion seemingly knew of this, and was only walking up to Ariel to inform her of this.
"This place is more complex than you might imagine."
The field of outlines were around them both.
Why.... If only I could......
Then she realized.
Even if it was only from the negative space between extremities on the ground on which she stood, she knelt down and reached for one of the flowers and picked it. A wilting flower picked out of void.
The void between her fingertips retained its shape, as she held it up at the figure far away. The petals promptly blew away in the wind that was not there, and revealed the field to not be there at all.
Now stood in front of the pure white face, she struck the whip and with the snap it dissipated the figure into mist.
"That was good! One more should be just enough!" Sors encouraged.
Ari turned back just to nod but what caught her attention was that she was surrounded by dark completely. Sors was gone, along with the face and the field.
Internal panic set in, but she was determined nonetheless. She kept turning, trying to find any point of reference, looking and looking to no avail.
Trying once again to outwit her predicament, she shut her eyes to force her own darkness to replace her own sight. But once a moment of squeezing her eyelids together hard had passed, once she freed the tense muscle and opened her vision once more, what met her sight was not the darkness she expected.
A white sky bore down light on the trees and houses. Were it not black and white, she could not tell the difference from the real place. Or so it seemed, once she stopped looking out the window and sized up the overly large room she was in.
Everything is so big. My book is on my pillow, and I haven't made my bed yet. I wouldn't want Father to be disappointed.
It didn't dawn on her that it was her that was small. She made her bed and with her scripture under her shoulder she went to the cramped sitting room to speak to her caretaker.
He isn't here?
Another door led directly to the inside of the modest countryside chapel. She didn't step foot in there, just took a look. Empty.
She instead opted to sneak out the back door from the cellar, like she did on occasion.
There was only a quiet, unnaturally flat sound down by the river where the cows would drink. The field, the corral, the farmstead of her neighbors was void of all life. Hung upon the side of their shed was a peculiar looking whip, but she didn't feel like paying an uninvited visit.
The sun wasn't visible in the all-bright sky, but it was setting, which was obvious by the angle of the shadows. She saw it set as she played on the swing by the well in the middle of town.
I wonder when they will all come back...
When the sun set the sky turned black but everything was still the same color, only dimmer.
The road from beyond the village that cut through the middle was right in front of her. And this very road was where the soldiers came to draft her into Uvica....
What's a Uvica?
Down the road came a line of black robed figures. Then they stopped.
Splitting off from the rest the tall figure leading in the front intently looked over to Ariel. The moment she blinked, the figure stood just a foot away from her.
"Dear child. Thou art sick, so sick. Be not afraid, however."
"Only reach out to Sin. Then, thine incomplete self will be mended, if only for awhile."
As she bent down an unexpressive lower half of a person's face made itself clear, the robes shifted aside to make way for a thin hand to show itself to Ari.
Within the hand appeared a single feather.
"I don't want you." Said the child plainly.
Brushed to the side, the figure remained still. Ari ran across the road and towards her home, the church, but she once again noticed the whip.
She had the slightest tinge in her mind, but only until she heard:
"Ariel. Come home at once. You are not to wander out, the sun has set."
"I'm sorry, Father." She pensively lowered her stance, then turned to walk over.
But once she got halfway across the dirt road, another person stepped out of the single door of the chapel. A woman, dark hair, white coat and underlayer. The Father did not even seem to hear her.
"You've already made your choice, Ariel." Said Sors, Will of the Saint Yandra.
Instantly she knew she had to run across and get the whip, and so she did with a swiftness she did not expect, for she had returned to her grown up self. Harae stood in the line once more, but before the tip of her strike could hit, the robed figure had vanished into the crowd which promptly encircled her.
For the first time within the plane of darkness the Patron inhabited, color erupted as Ariel let out her grace and threw her needles in batches, nailing each shadow of a person with one.
Swarms of them disappeared, and when she took off at the one she deducted to be Harae hiding in the midst of the crowd, they held up their hand and swung aside Ari's hand by an unseen force right as she was about to strike once more.
"If I really am sick, I will find my own cure."
Again she began to fight off the encroaching mass of robed shades that kept appearing from everywhere she could see, her grace began to turn to green. Yet greener and darker, her nose and eyes began to bleed but she kept on fighting when in a moment she spotted Sors once more through the crowd and had a revelation.
I know now.
She let them all surround her and envelop her whole being, even her self and feelings, her memories, body and soul.
The grace that was let out becames trands thickening and becoming snakes of all sorts converging into one. From her hands, mouth, legs, arms, torso, all of it was let out, the sick dark green form of her own power, and it all formed into the form once more.
"So be it, then. Child of Au-......"
She did not let her finish the sentence. A shaking pair of white hands remained in front of her, stuck inside a pillory. The same as the prayer card of Yandra pictured.
Upon this arrived another hand, the hand of Sors.
"Wonderful work, Ariel. There is hope for you yet."
Another tap on her forehead.
...
She awoke on the mat in front of Yandra's sigil.
"Was I out for long?" The raspy voice came from down low, she didn't even get up.
"Not at all. You just fell down. Should have knelt...." Still, Sors reached a hand down to her and helped her up.
"I guess this is it?" Said Ari.
"It is, yes. You have no debts, I only did as I am willed to." She could not hide the pride in her work, and gave a smile and a chuckle to the serval.
She extended brief thanks and left her newfound Patron's church.
The waning moon above gave dim blue light to the streets, along her strut to her new home, in the Lunar Capital.
There was hope for her yet.