Originally posted April, 2010
((The ritual was suppose to tie up the "Accept the Things..." storyline. After trying to schedule a session when we could all get on together and chat RP it out, we fell back to plan B. Kori described how it was supposed to work this way:
Meri will warn you that once you are inside the circles, you must remain or the ritual will fail. Attacking the golem before the demon has manifested will cause the ritual to fail. Succumbing to the demon's mental illusions will also cause the ritual to fail.
Once inside the circle each character will be subject to a different vision, unbeknown to the other characters. These visions will test the characters willpower and how they handle each scene will determine their success.
What I would like for each player that would like to participate to do, is to send me a PM with your character and what you think that character would be likely to see that would cause them to be tempted to succumb to vengeance and/or revenge.
For example: If Kori saw Gale dying or being attacked, and she had her attacker in front of her, she may be compelled to attack and viciously kill the attacker, instead of just disabling and disarming. Understand?
Remember, send me the PM of what your character would see, and I will modify it and send it back. This will be a back and forth scene with each character and at the end I will post the results on the thread here for all to see.
After the characters deal with their "demons" the attack on the main demon will begin.
Not everyone sent Kori a story in a timely matter, leaving her the uncomfortable position of writing out elements based on other people's toons to complete the story. It's touchy work, something I know I don't care to do. Eventually things just stalled. I had been playing Chance as the dutiful and fearful husband for the six to eight weeks that this story progressed, never quite sure how Kori would resolve it. We had discussed the possibility of character deaths and I knew that if Kori died at this moment, Chance would want to go to a dark, dark place.
Eventually I suggested we end it; resolve the story so that the characters could move on. Chance, Akemi, and Kori all moved forward with their own stories, but mis-communication and uneven expectations between Kori's player and Theresa lead to the character of Kori's death. Chance had an easier time with that, accepting there were things he could not control; accepting, perhaps, the things to which fate binds you.
I've included Kori's description of the beginning of the ritual and a few of the submitted visions. Kori feels this is an eyesore. I think it was a great show of creativity that just didn't meet our high expectations.))
-- By Kori Araska
The ancient one slips out of her robe and looks to the candles surrounding the bath. The warm water gives off scents of lavender, hyssop, patchouli, frankincense, myrrh, and sandalwood and the steam floats like spirits off of its surface.
She whispers a few words in the ancient tongue and gestures gently with her hand putting flame to several white candles surrounding the tub. Another gesture of her hand and the lights in the large room dim as she slips slowly into the water, kneeling on the tile surface below the water. She closes her eyes and whispers as a violet energy encircles her.
She lifts her hands and arms skyward and speaks in the ancient tongue;
Blessed be my mind, that learns of Your ways
Blessed be my eyes, that have seen this day.
Blessed be my lips, that utter Your names and keep Your secrets.
Blessed be my breasts, formed in strength and beauty.
Blessed be the womb, for without I would not be.
Blessed be my knees, that shall kneel at thy Sacred Altar.
Blessed be my feet, that have brought me in these ways.
Blessed be my powers, that shall purify and heal.
Blessed be my heart, for it shall always remain pure.
She bows her head slightly as the water begins to swirl around her, cleansing her body and mind. Smoke from the candles rises above and circles around her, steadily growing in intensity.
A warm orange glow fills the room from above as she smiles and thanks the light for its presence. The ritual lasts for several moments and then the scene relaxes as the light dims again, the candles resume their normal burn, and the water settles. She sponges off her body gently allowing the oils to cleanse her skin before she slowly rises from the water and puts on her ritual outfit. She slips a golden necklace from a velvet pouch and places it around her neck, and approaches the ritual circle.
Four burning braziers with creosote wood give off smoke which seems to encircle the ritual area unnaturally. Several statues of the goddess Sekhmet overlook the ritual area, ranging in size from three to sixteen feet tall. Within the braziers and statues are nine circles drawn with lines of black sand leading to a black marble altar. Black candles fill the area in between the circles and the altar and burn with a deep violet flame.
The ancient one walks along one of the lines to the altar where upon it rests a man sized golem made of magical materials. In front of the altar is a stand for the Nightblade made of iron and adorned with silver. She whispers a short spell and the altar takes on a pale violet glow.
She then walks to each circle and begins the connection ritual to bind each circle to the altar. Her eyes glow as she lifts her hand from the circles to the altar creating a bluish-white bridge of light. She continues until all of the circles are bridged to the altar. The eyes of the statues begin to form a reddish glow and the smoke from the braziers forms a wall of smoke surrounding the area.
"It is time," the ancient one whispers, as she makes her way to a circle and begins to pray.
-- by Theresa Bathory
Tiphareth walks through the massive warehouse wearing her armored suit, the helmet for her armor under her arm, when she sees the temple. If it were not for the dark business that it was built for she would have smiled at its beauty. At the top of the steps leading up stands Meri awaiting their arrival; she embraces Meri, as do the metal wings of the armor on their own, apologizing for having to hug Meri through the gold armor she wears.
They exchange kisses and Meri explains what is going to happen and warns Tiphareth about what to do and not to do. She helps her on with a robe especially tailored to fit over her armor and metal wings. Tiphareth dons her helmet and seals it then follows Meri to a basin where she removed the gauntlets and ceremoniously washes her hands and mouth and dries them. When the gauntlets are back on: Meri then anoints her with incensed smoke and speaking low ancient words.
When finished Tiphareth enters the temple and takes a place in one of the nine smaller circles that are around the larger one. She notes the cursed sword in front of the black alter and the inanimate, life size golem standing on top. The Golem is shaped as a man and she remembers the legends of how Rabbis would create such creatures to protect their villages. This one though will house a demon; one that cannot be killed only banished.
She closes her eyes in the helmet and starts to meditate and clear her mind and heart. Then in a low voice offers a prayer to purify and strengthen herself.
"Shema Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad!"
"For the mistakes we committed before You under duress and willingly.
For the mistakes we committed before You through having a hard heart.
For the mistakes we committed before you through things we blurted out with our lips.
For the mistakes we committed before You through harsh speech.
For the mistakes we committed before You through wronging a friend.
For the mistakes we committed before You by degrading parents and teachers.
For the mistakes we committed before You by exercising power.
For the mistakes we committed before You against those who know, and those who do not know.
For the mistakes we have committed before You through bribery.
For the mistakes we have committed before You through denial and false promises.
For the mistakes we have committed before You through negative speech.
For the mistakes we have committed before You with food and drink.
For the mistakes we committed before You by being arrogant.
For the mistakes we committed before You with a strong forehead.
For the mistakes we committed before You in throwing off the yoke.
For the mistakes we committed before You through a begrudging eye.
For the mistakes we committed before You through baseless hatred.
For the mistakes we committed before You in extending the hand.
For the mistakes we committed before You through confusion of the heart.}
"O Lord, grant that this night we may sleep in peace.
And that in the morning our awakening may also be in peace.
May our daytime be cloaked in your peace.
Protect us and inspire us to think and act only out of love.
Keep far from us all evil;
May our paths be free from all obstacles from when we go out until we return home."
"Atah Malkuth, V’Gaburrah, V’Dullah, Liecholam, Amen."
The Ceremony started the circles grew in brightness. Meri’s voice was clear and strong as she intoned words in ancient Egyptian; her arms high in the air and Tiphareth could feel the power emanating from her.
The others stood in there respective circles and she watched as one-by-one each fell into a trance. Meri told each to be ready for such as the demon would try to fire the flame of vengeance in each of their hearts. She waited for her turn to be assaulted such when she saw a black vapor start to come from the sword and take the shape of a man. Meri’s words became louder and Tiphareth could hear urgency in her words. Something was wrong.
The thing was not going into the golem, instead it was solidifying and becoming physical and then it laughed and crossed its arms across his chest and spread them quickly yelling a blasphemous word. The explosion caught them all and only the metal wings, folding in front of her, protected her from damage though she was thrown back and into a wall.
The HUD, in her helmet, flashed on and off then stabilized. She looked up and her heart went to her throat; everyone was thrown from their circles and looked to be unconscious. Then the infra-red came on and to her horror they were all dead; all but Meri who was struggling to stand. There was no time though to mourn as the demon, fully materialized and black as jet walked up to Meri and knocked her back down. Tiphareth tried to stand but a system warning came on stating the leg rotors were damaged and it would be five minutes to repair.
Meri was lying dazed and she could see she was bleeding badly from her head. The demon kicked her legs apart and knelt between then grabbing at her clothes and tearing them from her body. Tiphareth started to pull herself across the floor trying to get to Meri. The wings on her armor were helping but badly damaged. She screamed "NO!" when she saw the demon begin to rape Meri; holding her by the throat and strangling her as he did. Meri could not scream though the she tried and struck at the demon with her fists.
Tiphareth’s eyes burned with tears as she crawled; then she saw Meri’s head roll back and the infra-red showed her body starting to cool. She screamed; this can’t happen, not again. Her sister dead! The demon stood with eyes of blood and reached out quickly as if grabbing something. His arm shook as if he was holding to something struggle; something that started to take an outline and shape. Tiphareth screamed in horror!
She engaged the emergency releases and the joints of the armor "popped" and fell off of her. She was now powerless but she could move and she ran towards the demon. She saw what he held and what he was slowly causing to fall apart like ash; it was Meri’s spirit!
She leapt at the thing only to be back-handed and sent flying into the altar. Pain flashed though her body and for a moment she blacked out. Her head spun and slowly thigns came back into focus. The demon shook its hands as if tossing the last of Meri’s spirit from its hand. That was it; Meri was not only dead but truly gone from creation. Her heart broke as eight people she loved lie dead. Her sister Dani, Ray, Bubbles, Donnie, Chance and his sister Yukiko, Danny and her sister Meri gone forever.
The demon walked towards her and she looked about for a way to defend herself. Her hand felt it behind her on the floor; the black sword that was the demon’s home for all these centuries. She turned quickly trying to draw it from the scabbard but the weight was too great for her to budge. The thing laughed at her and she could see that its intentions were the same for her as it was for her sister. "Shema Adonai!" she cried out, "Give me the strength to wield your justice!"
The demon stopped, taking a step back, and threw its arm over its eyes. At first she did not realize that the brilliant, gold glow was coming from her. There was no time to wonder though as she was lifted up and she felt the same pain she felt when she ripped her wings from her back. Every muscle locked tight and her body was on fire and yet not consumed. She felt them as they beat the air holding her aloft; the wings she had discarded for humanity. The Divine had heard her and given her the strength to fight but the cost, the cost was her humanity as she was once more an avatar.
It was too much her mind rebelled in a short span of time she had lost all she loved and her humanity. There would be no second opportunity to become human. This "thing" had crushed everything and there was still another life in the balance, two actually, Kori’s and Gale’s. The flames from her body grew brighter and larger and she reached up and started to call she wanted this thing destroyed, the wanted it obliterated, she wanted… she smiled and lowered her arms and smiled.
"Justice is always to be tempered with mercy, demon. It is balanced by that which I was an avatar of. You almost had me but made one mistake, you let me feel human emotions that as an avatar I would never feel. I rebuke you and your impudent attempt to tempt me to vengeance. I shall always temper Justice with Mercy."
She was standing in her circle; the helmet’s HUD was showing spikes in the light spectrum and in energy readings. A dark mist which seemed to surround each smaller circle receded into the golem’s mouth, causing it to stir. The form of the automaton began to shift and grow, changing into an amorphous mass of tentacles and gaping maws. A single eye protruded from its center and the hideous form poured off of the altar with a thud as black liquid dripped from its extra appendages.
A disturbingly deep and throaty voice came from the abomination "If I cannot feed on your vengeance, then I will feed on your bodies!" A dark mist flowed from the creature as it spread its appendages outwards towards her and the rest of the members.
-- by Rex Celestis
Chance’s eyes opened as if coming around from a daydream. The ritual chamber was gone and as he tried to focus, he felt the coils of the serpent around his heart. Slowly, his vision became clear as he looked upon a familiar face in a familiar office. The reality of the moment was almost too convincing.
"Agnes was politically expedient," Hunter, Chance’s father, explained calmly, in a measured and emotionless manner. "With every thrust, I knew I was betraying your mother, but I enjoyed it. Yukiko was a mistake, a mistake that rendered a beautiful consequence."
"Father, I forgive you."
Chance averted his eyes for a moment and looked up again to see a beautiful woman standing before him. Pale skin and dark hair, she almost looked like a painting rather than a real person. Dani’s face, troubled and uncertain, looked upon Chance from her workshop in the Haven.
"I'm not ready for this," Dani said with no certainty. "There are things I need to resolve with my parents before I can have a relationship." The tremble in her voice and the motion of her eyes gave away her true intent.
{YOU LIE! YOU LIED TO ME!}
"Yes. Gray and I are back together. My heart will always be his,” Dani said, smiling at Chance, as if expecting some sort of reciprocation. Some sort of response in kind. Some kind of happiness for the pair.
{FUCK YOU! YOU NEVER EVEN FACED YOUR PARENTS YOU COWARD!}
Chance took a deep breath and let out a labored sigh, responding slowly, "Dani, I accept your decision."
The coils loosen and Chance absorbs the carnage around him, standing once again in the ritual chamber. Meri knelt, unseeing from her position at the northernmost point of the circle, her eyes closed and bleeding. The other bodies lay broken and unmoving around its circumference. Lifeless and Broken.
A vision of Gray standing in the center of the circle on top of the altar, smiling and mocking him adds to his seething rage.
“Fuck you, Gray.”
Kori lays quiet, dead. Arm outstretched towards a lover she will never know, Dani lays still; dead a final time. Donnie, Danny, Jess, Yukiko, Ray, Bubbles.
“Fuck you, Gray.”
Chance’s thoughts race to those of the Haven and the wards. No discipline plan, No actually telling people what being good looked like, how much effort it takes, some expectation that children somehow picked up right and wrong through the ether. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!
“Fuck you, Gray!” Chance jabs at the air with a finger. "You led them here, you and your fucking manipulative stupidity. It's this what you wanted? Another army to lose as you fight your private war!"
“I will end you!”
Chance felt the coils of the serpent around his heart.
A tall man dressed in dark clothing walked into the ritual circle, his face obscured by shadow. He stopped near the altar where the visage of Gray stood, and lifted his arm slowly, pointing to the image. As the man spoke, his whispering voice filled the ritual chamber.
“Take him, kill him. He mocks the very breath you take. He takes from you even still and you sit idly by, watching him take everything from you. He’s here now and all you have to do is embrace what you know is right. What you know is just. And everything will befall you as it should have.”
Chance’s eyes burned as he beamed at Gray, fists clenching, muscles straining, his mind racing and considering the shadowy figure’s words.
And he laughed.
Chance spoke the language of Orochi, the disrespect spilling from his tongue.
"You almost had me, demon. You don't know the truth of me. You take my fears and try to make them real. They are only my fears. Only I can make them real. You are just a sham."
Chance stood. "I am The Harrier. I am The Samurai Indigo. I am flawed. I am perfect. I am Korinna Arasaka's lover. I hate that I have to ask permission. Permission to do what's right. But I accept what I'm given. And I do what's right. I do what is needed."
"And when I end you, it will be because I need to. I don't hate you. I accept you. I will kill you, without vengeance, without any feeling of revenge. I will kill you because it needs to be done."
A dark mist which seemed to surround each smaller circle receded into the golem’s mouth, causing it to stir. The form of the automaton began to shift and grow, changing into an amorphous mass of tentacles and gaping maws. A single eye protruded from its center and the hideous form poured off of the altar with a thud as black liquid dripped from its extra appendages.
A disturbingly deep and throaty voice came from the abomination.
“If I cannot feed on your vengeance, then I will feed on your bodies!”
A dark mist flows from the creature as it spreads its appendages outwards towards you and the rest of the members in the circles. The tendrils form circular maws at the ends each with several rows of teeth glistening in a sickly yellowish-black glaze. The mist smells strongly of sulfur and causes those without artificial life support to choke at the scent.
Chance, struggling with the insipid stench, steadied himself and faced the physical manifestation of Orochi.
-- by Camille Brown
"Sooo quiet, sooo peaceful, she sleeps having dreams of far away places and friendly faces," said the voice from the past. The young one was spirited away as Dani watched within the darkness, the glow from the child's skin slowly disappeared as her blood was taken by claws and fangs as they sank deeply into the tender flesh.
"Blood is what you need Dani, so blood is what you will have, and such sweet flavors to enjoy. I'm sure a spell or two can be concocted from your tender weakness," his whispers make the necromancer flinch as he sinks his teeth once more into the neck of the now still child.
Dani attempted to move forward, rescue the child from the vampire, but she found herself bound into a chair. Helplessly, she locked her eyes on the poor innocent, seeking a heartbeat. Her eyes closed momentarily, and then re-opened with a flash of violet. Dark brows drew close together as even with her 'other' sight, she could not see the child's soul within the small, precious still frame.
The room echoed with mocking whispers from faces unseen and the floor below filled with a slow moving, dark red fluid. It coated Dani's feet with a warm and greasy film as it reached them. The coppery smell, that the necromancer is so familiar with, lingered in the musty air, and Dani found her mouth beginning to water. The vampire before her continued to drink deeply of it's victim, all the while he stared with cold, bloodshot eyes.
Laughter continued and a figure slowly moved out into the center of the room splashing blood as it's feet met the floor. It's Gray, wickedly smiling, as a female figure wrapped her arms around him and they embrace with a lustful passion. Dani flinched, "Gray?... Tiph?" Her sister and closest friend slowly lowered to the floor with Gray.
"It isn't real. It can't be real..." Dani's heartbeat sped up as she blinked back tears, her hands clenching into fists at her sides. "I trust Gray and Tiph, they would never do this." As she watched their lips pulled back revealing elongated eye-teeth. Their eyes flashing red as they both buried fangs into each other and drank.
Another image walked out from the darkness and Dani immediately recognized Ali. She was covered in blood from numerous bite marks all over her body. She reached out, tears in her eyes. Dani looked from the writhing couple, to the vampire drinking from a child, and finally to Ali herself. "Ali, No!" She tried to jerk herself out of the restraints, her wrists and ankles cracking painfully as she practically broke her own bones in the attempt. A flock of vampires surrounded and devoured Ali, and the restraint holding the necromancer's head forward prevented her from looking away. Dani's eyes overflowed and sobs shook her body as the hideous sounds of flesh tearing and Ali's blood curdling screams filled the room.
The whispers began to make sense and voices could clearly be heard as the light from above focused on the Marquis. He smiled cruelly, "You can feel it can't you." Not a question, but a statement. Dani found herself taking in deep breaths, smelling and tasting the smell of the blood around her. Again she felt herself beginning to salivate and the horrible truth sunk in. She felt her teeth elongating, pressing sharply to her lower lip. Again she attempted to free herself from her restraints to no avail.
"That's right, give in to the desire." From her side, where she could not see, a slender arm was extended. The arm was already cut, blood dripping... dripping... dripping in front of her. The arm was placed against her mouth, with Dani unable to twist her head and move it away. "It's just a little blood, Dani. You're no stranger to blood." The necromancer's nostril's flared as again she took in the smell and taste of the blood. She closed her eyes, and tried to ignore it, but the arm was once again forced against her lips.
Her lips pulled back, revealing her fangs. She wanted so much to deny The Marquis satisfaction, but a wilder and more uncontrollable desire took over. Her vision went dark and when she could again focus, she found she was no longer restrained. Her mouth pulled, drank in the blood as she bit and tore savagely. As soon as she realized what she was doing, she dropped the body she held, horrified.
"Oh, full so soon, my sweet?" The Marquis caressed Dani's bloody cheek as tears flowed more freely. She looked down at the body she herself had desecrated only to see Keelie's young face staring lifelessly back.
Dani pulled away from The Marquis, desperately picking Keelie up and patting the girl's face. She knew it was useless, there was no soul left, but she couldn't help herself. "Keelie!... Keelie!" Still she could smell the blood, the desire to take in more, and her hatred for herself, for what she had become, what she had allowed to be done, and for what she had done herself, filled her.
"Kill him Dani, take what he has taken from you. What they continue to take from you. Bring justice to them and make them pay. Make him pay. Do what you know must be done." The whispered voices rang clearly in her mind. She turned to look at The Marquis. Her right hand closed around the hilt of her ceremonial knife and she pulled it from her sheath. Her breath moving in and out of her body in heaves as she stood looking to him.
The voices continued louder and louder until the blade glowed brighter and brighter. The vampire stared at Dani, smiling, whilst blood trailed off of his mouth and chin to drip onto the ichor puddle below.
She raised her hand, the blade jutting out below like a large, black, and demonic fang. She remembered Fin's statement, "...there are such things as monsters out there. They can't be reasoned with, they can't be redeemed, they don't feel remorse and they will never stop unless stopped permanently."
"If I kill you... I stop you from doing this to another person, to another family..." She whispered to The Marquis.
He smiled, spreading his arms wide and making no move away from her. "Then do it."
She blinked more tears from her eyes as she shook her head, "...but it does nothing to rectify what you've already done." Her hand shook as she raised the blade to her own throat and re-opened the scars, letting her blood flow down her chest. She dropped her knife to the ground and placed her hands against the cut, getting blood all over them. "Drain me... end my misery. Be merciful."
He was at her neck faster than she had expected, his lips hovering just above the blood. His breath tickling against her skin as he murmured, "Oh I'll drink, but you'll still live. You're bound to my will now and forever. The only way you can end this is to end me."
"You forgot one thing Marcus..."
"And what's that, my Dani?" His lips returned to her neck, drinking of her. Her unusual blood filling his thoughts.
Her fingers quickly pressed around his forehead and she whispered a word of power, covering them both briefly in her violet aura. He fell back, a look of confusion on his face. She staggered, taking on some of his memories and already whispering the second word of power to complete the ritual spell. The Marquis placed his hands against his head in confusion, his face beginning to contort with rage.
"I'm still a necromancer."
A long dead language dripped from her lips, runes flashing in the air in shades of violet and collecting upon his skin. The last word of power made The Marquis dropped to his knees in the bloodied room.
"What have you done?" He raged at her, still clutching at his head.
Dani knelt by her daughter, picking the broken body up in her arms and kissing the little girls forehead before responding. "Killing you would only end your life. It won't repair what you have done, what you have caused me to do." She glanced towards the mass of feeding vampires that surrounded Ali. "Tell them to stop, to stand down."
The Marquis looked as if he wanted to protest, but he found himself uttering the words she demanded. The vampires stopped and backed up in a line behind The Marquis. Dani carried Keelie over to the ripped and shattered form of Ali, laying the two next to each other and wiping more of the tears from her cheeks. Her eyes lingered on Ali's still face as she stated, "A wonderful girl once told me that there are good vampires out in the world."
Her eyes moved back to The Marquis and his retinue as she stood. "I may not have believed Ali when she told me about good vampires that day, but today I make it true. Your binding on me broke as soon as I took you on as my minion. You are bound to my will and they..." She looked along the line of vampires, "...are bound to yours. You might never be able to atone for what you have done, but we have an eternity in which you can try."
She knelt back down by the bodies of the two girls, pulling both into her lap and releasing more tears. "Leave me. I wish to mourn." The Marquis turned back to his vampires and motioned for them to exit the room, following after. "I'll do my best to find you all peace..." the necromancer whispered, once she was alone in the room, before succumbing to her own sorrow over the events that had transpired.
The vision fades away slowly as the view of the ritual chamber returns to Dani's view. She looks around the room slowly as the rest of the members in the circles are coming out of what seemed to be a trance-like state. Her attention is drawn to the center of the room where the ritual altar stands and motion from the golem can be seen.
A dark mist which seemed to surround each smaller circle recedes into the golem’s mouth, causing it to stir. The form of the automaton begins to shift and grow, changing into an amorphous mass of tentacles and gaping maws. A single eye protrudes from its center and the hideous form pours off of the altar with a thud as black liquid drips from its extra appendages.
A disturbingly deep and throaty voice comes from the abomination.
"If I cannot feed on your vengeance, then I will feed on your bodies!"
A dark mist flows from the creature as it spreads its appendages outwards towards Jess and the rest of the members in the circles. The tendrils form circular maws at the ends each with several rows of teeth glistening in a sickly yellowish-black glaze. The mist smells strongly of sulfur and caused those without artificial life support to choke at the scent.
-- by Rex Celestis
((This was the ending we tacked on. I left it purposely vague as to who was speaking. It didn't really seem to matter.))
Chance stumbled into a forgotten corner of the warehouse, legs trembling beneath him, steps faltering. He slid down along a wall to collapse in an uncomfortable heap on the concrete floor. His fingers pulled at his mask and hood as his chest heaved beneath his light armor. The ceramic gear cleared his mouth just in time for him to vomit onto the gray hardness, its indigo falling to the floor to lie with the sick.
He curled on the cold surface and wept.
A hand pulled him up to a crouching embrace. He heard sobbing in his ears and catching breath. Hands clung to arms. Fingers sought the solid reassurance of reality.
"I was so scared."
Someone may have passed them, choosing not to interrupt that moment; the birth of a new life. Eventually they rose, blue eyes finding violet, palms touching cheeks, fingers trailing though white and blonde hair.
"Let's go home."
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