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Jan. 25th, 2014 02:32 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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estdeus_innobisWe knew it would come.
For four years, ever since the dream of the red city and the blue, we knew it would come. For three months, ever since the dream of Nanshe telling me what we must do.
And yet we always thought we would have more time before we had to be ready.
We very nearly were ready, that night that the earth shook.
I gathered up everything that I had been crafting and collecting, and went to find my family. I hugged Marie and Luc very tightly, and told them that I loved them. And then I told Valmont, and held him for as long as I could. We were both so full of fear and hope and love that we could barely find words, but we did not need to speak to know how the other was feeling. "I love you," I said once more, and kissed all of my family.
I dared not think of what might happen if I did not come back, what might happen if I failed. I could not think of that.
And then I ran.
Down to the river I speed, between the crashes of thunder and tremors of the earth. 'It is already raining,' I think, with a giddy, hysterical gasp of laughter. Do the Adversaries know that they have done some of the work for us? Do they care?
I know that I do not need to send word to Syl or Chester or any of the others who have been working on this great spell. Our magic has been twined so closely together over the last few months that I can sense them all, if I listen hard enough, and I know that they are all coming.
One by one we arrive at the banks of the river, just as we have planned to do for so many months. A little thrill still runs through me when I see everyone gathered. There are so many! So many who have come together for this cause, who never might have even spoken to each other were it not for their love of Excolo, and desire to keep it safe. Even if we are not all friends with each other - for Syl and I still are not, even though our respect for each other has grown as we worked together - we all love Excolo, and that is enough.
I have brought silver and mistletoe for protection - the same things that Chester taught me about in my very first lessons with him! I spread them in a wide circle around us to shield us from as much harm as possible while we work.
Our magic winds together, and we start to draw Nanshe's essence out of the earth, out of the water…
The instant that my magic touches the river, I can tell that there is something different. Not just Nanshe's essence that we have been concentrating in the water - there is something else. More divinity, more power. Something new and fresh, something that feels like spring and growth and fertility. I do not know its source, but I know at once that it is good. The new power flows into our spell, filling it with new life.
I am so deep into the spell that I do not even notice the thunder anymore. I see nothing but our threads of Power; I feel nothing except the growing magic and the rising tide of Nanshe's essence, each of us adding our own strand to the spell. Water and earth and fire and air and divinity, all coming together as one.
Air is mine - as we draw Nanshe's essence into the sky, I send out more and more threads of my own Power. We bind our Power together to make a bridge between the earth and the heavens, between the water and the sky.
The bridge is Nanshe, and the rain is Nanshe, and the earth is Nanshe. And now we are Nanshe too, as her divinity washes over us in the rain. I smile as the rain touches my skin, for now I know that we will succeed.
We have helped Nanshe give the gift that she wished to give to the people of Excolo: herself.
Est deus in nobis.
[Open to anyone working to stop the apocalypse]
For four years, ever since the dream of the red city and the blue, we knew it would come. For three months, ever since the dream of Nanshe telling me what we must do.
And yet we always thought we would have more time before we had to be ready.
We very nearly were ready, that night that the earth shook.
I gathered up everything that I had been crafting and collecting, and went to find my family. I hugged Marie and Luc very tightly, and told them that I loved them. And then I told Valmont, and held him for as long as I could. We were both so full of fear and hope and love that we could barely find words, but we did not need to speak to know how the other was feeling. "I love you," I said once more, and kissed all of my family.
I dared not think of what might happen if I did not come back, what might happen if I failed. I could not think of that.
And then I ran.
Down to the river I speed, between the crashes of thunder and tremors of the earth. 'It is already raining,' I think, with a giddy, hysterical gasp of laughter. Do the Adversaries know that they have done some of the work for us? Do they care?
I know that I do not need to send word to Syl or Chester or any of the others who have been working on this great spell. Our magic has been twined so closely together over the last few months that I can sense them all, if I listen hard enough, and I know that they are all coming.
One by one we arrive at the banks of the river, just as we have planned to do for so many months. A little thrill still runs through me when I see everyone gathered. There are so many! So many who have come together for this cause, who never might have even spoken to each other were it not for their love of Excolo, and desire to keep it safe. Even if we are not all friends with each other - for Syl and I still are not, even though our respect for each other has grown as we worked together - we all love Excolo, and that is enough.
I have brought silver and mistletoe for protection - the same things that Chester taught me about in my very first lessons with him! I spread them in a wide circle around us to shield us from as much harm as possible while we work.
Our magic winds together, and we start to draw Nanshe's essence out of the earth, out of the water…
The instant that my magic touches the river, I can tell that there is something different. Not just Nanshe's essence that we have been concentrating in the water - there is something else. More divinity, more power. Something new and fresh, something that feels like spring and growth and fertility. I do not know its source, but I know at once that it is good. The new power flows into our spell, filling it with new life.
I am so deep into the spell that I do not even notice the thunder anymore. I see nothing but our threads of Power; I feel nothing except the growing magic and the rising tide of Nanshe's essence, each of us adding our own strand to the spell. Water and earth and fire and air and divinity, all coming together as one.
Air is mine - as we draw Nanshe's essence into the sky, I send out more and more threads of my own Power. We bind our Power together to make a bridge between the earth and the heavens, between the water and the sky.
The bridge is Nanshe, and the rain is Nanshe, and the earth is Nanshe. And now we are Nanshe too, as her divinity washes over us in the rain. I smile as the rain touches my skin, for now I know that we will succeed.
We have helped Nanshe give the gift that she wished to give to the people of Excolo: herself.
Est deus in nobis.
[Open to anyone working to stop the apocalypse]
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Date: 2014-01-29 10:18 pm (UTC)We expected it and planned for it, and yet it still makes my heart turn over with a thump when I see the other figures rising near the riverbank. What can we do? Who can be spared? My mind races, trying to see where we can break the chain, and who can be subtracted…
…and then Mab is there in front of me, tall and strong, and embracing me.
"You're probably the best friend I've ever had, and you've cared about me more than I've ever cared about myself. You will do this. You are doing this."
"Mab." I wish I could hug her back, but I cannot break the chain. I lean into her for as long as I can. "You have been the best of friends to me, too. It is only because you took me in four years ago that I am here now. You saved me, dear friend."
"Take care of her, my friend. I'll keep them off of you until you're all done."
I pray that this is not goodbye, but I speak as if it is, for it may be. For Mab. For all of us.
"Fight well," I say, because there is no use telling her to be careful, no matter how much I wish that she might be. And anyway, care is not what is needed now. Ferocity is, and that is what Mab has. "Be strong. We are behind you." I give her a swift sisterly kiss on the cheek, and step back, closing my hands tighter around the hands of the people next to me.
I feel Chester weaving Air in and out among us, and I send a thread of my own Power towards him to strengthen his binding; I sense Syl dancing with joy and full of magic, and I strengthen the bonds between us that keep our great spell going.
I never knew that I could hold this much power in me. I fear that I may break, or burst into flame, but I cannot let go. If I let go - if any of us lets go - the world will fall.
I see Mab's sword flash with lightning, and I hold the line.
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Date: 2014-01-30 12:15 am (UTC)I watched as the light was snuffed out by her own hand, and the world started to unmake itself. Watched in both admiration The will of the most beautiful of all of us and horror Made only to be a lamb for the Feast, the light of my own kind snuffed out. Why I did not think it would get this far...?
and then I watched as the mother called the light back and the Egyptian god, swelled large with new life in all their power, brought the life back to the mother. Watched in both admiration the love of the mother and the child overcame the will of the father and horror My Lord, oh my Lord, you will fail and you will fall again!
And that seems to be the way this era will end. The power released with Rose's return and the re-birth of the Egyptian God, and the working of both the humans in town and whatever powers control the Carnival seem to overpower the will of Iblis, and I can feel the tide turning in the air. And although I am grieved that Iblis will not achieve his great design, I am relieved to find that the world will continue to turn.
But now He calls to use, those that would serve him and have served him, and I pledged that I would answer if called. So I do. I walk amongst the men as my demon form, sniffing out those with darkness in their hearts. I will serve you, Beautiful One, but in my own fashion. I find them and snatch them still beating from their chests and devour them whole. Petty magic may work against the ghouls and wraiths and misshapen beasts, but they have little affect on me, more like the annoying buzzing of flies in my ears. I prowl my way along the shoreline, and come to a knotted group people---
"Hello, Sherriff." I growl, and smile at the Fae kissed woman with a feral grin. She can be good, but there is darkness in her, and she is spoiling for a good fight.
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Date: 2014-01-30 08:11 pm (UTC)My blade is flashing as I spin and duck and slash out against them. By protecting the casters, I'm still serving the spell and and part of it. The slips I've had in the past few years- not pulling a punch quite enough, the quick judgements, the too-harsh reactions. I realize now that it was just all getting ready for this- I've been running to this moment since the first day I crossed the town line.
Someone like me always had to be here to do this.
"Hello, Sherriff."
Yank my sword out of the man-thing in front of me and turn to the voice behind me. I don't recognize it at first, but then a thought strikes me, "You know, I don't think we were ever formally introduced. Don't think we met after you and Lucien broke up," shift my position so that I'm between him and the group, "I won't let you get to them.
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Date: 2014-01-31 01:51 am (UTC)"I felt that it was for the best we part ways, our relationship was unhealthy," I growl out though my feral smile. Call me sentimental, but I always enjoyed the witty banter before two people try to rip one another apart. I shift my shape to one of my human ones, the one of the school-teacher, but not as human as it could be. I keep my true nature close to the surface, forming a sword (http://www.barringtons-swords.com/swords/fantasy-swords/fantasy-swords/demon-sword-162.html) to wield from the hell-fire flowing from my hand. "Remember me now?"
"I won't let you get to them."
I have no real desire to stop the turning of the tides, but I cannot tell her that. Bow my head a little in salute to her. "I would expect nothing less. But still, try I must. My Lord commands me. Now, let's dance, you and I."
And with a wink, I lunge at her hard, aiming for her throat. She deflects me easily enough, and we begin to attack in earnest.
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Date: 2014-01-31 01:32 pm (UTC)"I almost liked the Lion better," roll my shoulders and get ready for his attack. This will not be as easy as the others I've fought tonight. Maybe harder than any fight I've ever been in.
"I would expect nothing less. But still, try I must. My Lord commands me. Now, let's dance, you and I," he lunges at me and I catch his blade easy enough. But that was more akin to his wink and bow, though the shock rang up my arm, and I feel it as I feint at him then spring away.
"We all have our parts to play in this- best to play them well!, eh?"