Under the dismal shade of the parasol, Alicia cursed her decision to talk with the paladin. Oh sure, she’d been civil company, and interesting enough: but now the noble was running errands to bring back the foolhardy masked...thing. All while forcing her to confront the Queens: the very same queens who likely thought her a fool, after the incident with the ridiculous archer.
She had to stop a few times, asking various militiamen where the queens were, and after a number of questions, she was at last told their location. The door seemed that the pair hid behind held a certain weight to it: it left the vampire uneasy, but none-the-less, she rapped her knuckles against the door. “This is going to go oh-so wrong.”
After a few moments of uncertainty, the door slowly opened, and revealed Queen Kouri’s soft and relaxed posture. The crisis had been averted, and the tense, commanding nature had left her momentarily to let her simply be herself. Inside, Alex stood close by, though seemed preoccupied with something. “Ah, Alicia, is there something you require?” She asks, looking Alicia eye to eye.
Alex looks on briefly to Alicia before turning her head away once more. They probably wished to speak to Kouri anyways. She stares at the windows of her old hometown, instead, a careful ear out for whatever was to be discussed.
Alicia looked first at Kouri, then at Alex, and then back at Kouri again. Her mouth felt dry under the weight of the pair’s natural presence. Every clever word or turn of phrase she would normally use to talk to an equals was gone, leaving her afraid to speaking: for fear of sounding like a child, and yet the fear of saying nothing and appearing the fool. After a brief moment to recover, she found her voice again. “Um...It...One of the Queen’s blades is trying to bring back the dead using some magical means with the lake and she apparently needs the magic of the queens.” Even after just having finished speaking, she felt stupid for having to say it. The two women probably thought her an ass now, more than ever: gods damn that Rayvon.
Kouri raises an eyebrow inquisitively, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning against the door frame. It seemed more amusing to her than surprising. “You can relax now, Alicia.” Kouri says softly, attempting to soothe what appeared to be frayed nerves. “If we thought you were unfit for what is to come, we would not have recruited you in the first place. Now… I’m the only one here who uses magic, how does Rayvon know this? Why?”
Alicia openly exhales, as if trying to expunge the tension from her mind. Feeling somewhat successful, she straightens up her back and looks at the queen, meeting her gaze. “I honestly have no clue. She told me tales about the lake and asked me to take her to the dead from the East tower. I was trying to make conversation because I’ve thus far alienated more than a handful of allies, and the woman shares a homeland with me.” She pauses, unsure of how best to word the next part. “We gathered the dead, that being the scarab-thing Dreadfang and a masked-humanoid who died before I heard its name. We took them to the lake and...magic I don’t understand happened.”
Kouri’s relaxed posture fades a little as a small frown crosses her lips. Glancing back to Alex, her tone reflected concern and confusion. “I did not feel anything…” She returns her gaze to Alicia. “You are sure it was magic?”
Alex pauses for a moment, looking between the two and shrugging, “I would call myself a fool before denying there are things you and I have not encountered in this world yet, Kouri. Maybe they have stumbled upon something. They always say there is a grain of truth in legends, afterall.”
Alicia took note of the shift in posture, and worried what that could mean. Trying to remain calm, she kept a mostly normal tone, although a hint of her worry slipped through. “I wouldn’t know enough about magic to say what it was, but something appeared under the lake. Something that looked almost-human.”
Motioning for Alex to accompany her, she steps out from the doorway and motions for Alicia to lead the way. Strangely she didn’t say anything, no attempt to motivate, and no plans. Despite what it could mean, Kouri didn’t understand enough about it. Still, the fiery, curious look in her eyes said enough.
Alicia nods at the queens as she acts the guide for royalty. It takes her far less time to return to the lake than it did to find the queens, and within a minute, she was back at the lake, with queens not far behind her. She glanced briefly at the dead scarab, mangled and crushed. “Rayvon is with the other one in the lake.”
Rayvon, still up to her waist in water and gently holding the dead Child nearby looks back over her shoulders, apparently more than distracted by the angelic voice she was hearing. She shudders, getting an eerie feeling before she waves back at the approaching royalty, “Alicia, thank you. Queens of Renalta, I’m sorry to bother you, but…” She looks about, looking if there was still a shimmer to the water where she had seen the ethereal form beating against the lakewater. “I do not think I can do this myself, and I thought… with the legends of your connection to the lake, there might be something to that after there being something to the other lore.”
Kouri looks at the lake, a troubled look was on her face. Alex, too, would sense the presence of something they both knew all too well. “Angel.” Kouri whispers to Alex, caution in her tone as the tension in the area immediately builds. What an angel was doing in this lake, Kouri did not know. As she edges closer to the lake, a small breeze starts to blow gently from across the lake towards them. Testing this, as she grew closer, the wind picked up in speed slightly. Backing off a bit, the wind then died back down to a breeze. “Strange.” Kouri says, curiosity starting to overcome her cautiousness.
Rayvon looks up at the changing winds before furrowing her brow, “Can you hear it?”
“Whispers… Nothing specific.” Kouri replied, though Alex’s superior sense of hearing picked up on the words. The angelic voice, gender still indeterminable, was asking for help, asking for the royalty to step into the lake so it could continue.
Alex crosses her arms, unimpressed for the time being. “It could be genuine… After all, we encountered angels willing to help in the past… But do you suppose it could be of the same sort as Typhon?... All this time, and the lake still…” She furrows her brow, head beginning to hurt at all this thinking. “Never simple with you, hmm, love?” she chuckles softly, on edge for any threat in the strange situation.
Alicia looked back at the queens, having listened in to the conversation and, frankly, having understood none of it: she spoke up. “So can someone explain to me what is going on? This is...beyond my experience.”
Rayvon shuffles her feet, beginning to feel mud sucking into her boots from the lakebed, uncertain what was going on herself. Alex, though happily bows to Kouri, giving her the floor being the mage and the royal from over 1000 years ago.
Kouri chuckles and looks at Alex lovingly, though the tension didn’t leave her, despite the warmth that came to her eyes. “It never is…” She then turns to face Alicia, and takes a deep breath, exhaling to calm herself a little. “During our travels to banish the gods, we encountered a very select few angels who were not loyal to the King of Gods, or who were, but after being informed of the atrocities the Gods committed, were swayed to our cause. There were, however, others, like Typhon, who were completely obsessed with my demise, or worse.” She grimaces at the thought of fates worse than death, but after a momentary hesitation, continues. “Regardless, I’ve yet to meet a weak angel. If the angel in that lake is in fact an enemy, they will be a very deadly enemy.”
As Kouri finishes explaining things to Alicia, a small bundle of fur bounces through the grass towards them. Thane, with grey whiskers, sleuthfully moves past Kouri and towards the lake. Diving in, he paddles about, and the lake seems to shimmer with his presence. Kouri giggles, realizing why after a moment.
Rayvon tenses at that bit of exposition on the past, “You cannot judge someone simply by their race, Queen Kouri. If there is someone trapped in this lake, you have to help free them. Please.”
Alex looks at Kouri, uncertain. There was some merit to those words, but the angels were not a sort she was so easily to forgive. Even if Archangel Myria had been the reason Kouri was alive today, it could simply have been a familial bond for such a miracle’s warrant. Yet, this was Kouri’s call, it would be her facing potential risk by going into the waters, afterall.
“And if that race was a demon, would you be so eager to free it, I wonder.” Kouri states, looking at Rayvon. “You don’t understand the complexity of this world just yet… But you will. Soon enough.” She looks back to Alex and nods, lighting her hands aflame as she approaches the lake’s edge. The wind picks up until it bellows strong enough force her to brace against it as she steps into the water. As her foot touches the surface, the wind suddenly dies, and she stumbles head first into the water. Now thoroughly soaked head to toe as her dress clung to her skin, she stood up, water rolling down from her hair. The blue hair dye had been drained from it, much to Kouri’s surprise, as hair dye was normally not susceptible to mere water.
Looking between Alicia and Rayvon with her long, black hair, she sighs softly. ”Beware what magic can do.” Is all the explanation she has for it as the hair dye visible moves deeper beneath the surface. Kouri then looks at the centre of the lake. Nothing was happening. ”There. Happy?” She asks, obviously somewhat annoyed.
Rayvon hesitates, uncertain, “Did you break it?”
A light starts to glow at the centre of the lake just as Kouri was about to respond. It slowly rises, the glow only growing stronger as it gets closer and closer to the surface until, finally, the glow stops, and in its place, a humanoid figure, male, with wings and plate mail floated alongside Child. Well, ‘floated’ was a bit of a misnomer, as they were still trapped just underneath the surface. Rayvon and Alicia would both hear the angelic voice in their minds, it felt warm and grateful towards them. “The Gods banished me here, but your queens can set me free, if Kouri would touch my hand, and pull me out… I can bring your friend with me, return him to his body.” Kouri stares at the angel under the water in disbelief as he reaches out towards her. “...Heh…” Without having to be informed, she reaches out and grasps the angel’s hand, and pulls him out.
As the angel emerges, life returns to his form. No longer ghostly, he regains his physical form as he emerges, along with Child, though Child was notable unconscious. He nods at Kouri and bows his head. “You have my thanks.” He then looks to Alicia and Rayvon. “You two, as well. Your friend will need rest.” He states, as he holds Child gently.
Alicia had been the silent observer of most of the events, watching with a mix of curiosity and a healthy dose of caution. Vampires were notoriously unhealthy in the presence of holy magic, and nothing was more holy than an angel. The very thought of being the agent of one’s resurrection probably should have held some ironic humour, but instead the vampire cautiously edged back a step at a time, trying to be respectful, as well as cautious.
Yet the angel decided to speak to her, directly into her mind at that. She was starting to feel her mind was a very fragile place indeed, what with Dirge speaking to her thoughts and now the angel as well. Still, she had no real choice but to respond to the angel, and she politely bowed to it. “What is your name, angel? I would know what being I have helped release today.” In truth, she hadn’t really done much ‘helping.’ She had fetched the body of one person and got the queens: any idiot with a note scribbled on their palm could have done that.
Rayvon stares upon the angel in wonder and his magnificent form. Her eyes dart to his back and the enormous wings sprouting out. A chill runs down her spine as her shoulders begin to itch profusely at the memory of months of healing. She closes her eyes and bows her head respectfully, none the less. “No need to thank me, it was not even the intention I set out with initially. Though, I am… happy, to see another of my ancestors walking this land, and proud that my actions could see to your freedom.”
The angel looks at Alicia. ”Gabriel. A simple, antiquated name, but it is my name.” He then moves towards the shoreline, placing the unconscious form of Child on the ground. Kouri looks at him, still wary of his presence. “We need to talk. Alone.” She motions to Alex and Gabriel. He nods in compliance, though looks at Rayvon. “Afterwards you and I should speak, it is a rare thing to see a living aasimar.”
Rayvon nods simply, “Indeed we should. I would greatly appreciate it…” Alex meanwhile sizes up Gabriel and shrugs, “Well, you haven’t started shouting and swinging weapons at us. That’s always a good sign.”
Alicia had managed to retreat backwards until she was standing beside the werewolf. She had not expected the side of a werewolf to be her safehaven, of all places. “I’ll be honest, I’m just glad not to be on the receiving end of any ‘righteous fury.’” It was said under her breath, more than anything: as if she were afraid of giving the angel any ideas. She turned to the Lycan queen to speak next. “Any idea what the angel Gabriel does? Is he archangel of truth, or fury, or sexual innuendo?”
Alex smirks, turning to Alicia to mutter back, “Please. Angels don’t have a sense of humor… And as far as sexual innuendo… I don’t think they understand how that works either… In fact, I’m pretty sure they just come in two types: Furious and really furious.”
Alicia pouts at Alex’s remarks, she was glad to at least be striking up better conversation. “I’ll settle for Archangel of not-setting-me-on-fire.”
“No, no. They’re far more in favor of squishing you to a pulp or slicing you in half. Kouri is the one that sets things on fire,” she kids with a faint chuckle. “Thought you at least knew the Queens you served, little miss vampette.”
“I can deal with normal fire, it is the ‘holy’ stuff that really ruins my good looks. I could go without squishing or slicing, if that option is there.” She lets her shoulders relax a little as she watches Rayvon and Kouri: both so carefree in their conversation with what used to be a symbol for tyranny. For now, she was just glad to have her parasol.
“Oh my, and you’re part of the Blades? Poor dear, don’t worry, I’m sure whatever you face will have other options to offer. Just watch out for giant sand worms… And exploding spiders,” Alex shakes her head with a small smile.
“Don’t forget demons: those are probably high on the list of options.” Alicia offers, with a her smirk growing into an at-ease smile.
Alex barks out a laugh, “Oh, of course. That too.” She places her hands at her waist, looking out over the lake, “You haven’t had the pleasure of meeting the Crescent Moon Sisters, though, I’m sure. Ah, this Grand Ball is going to be fun for your lot. Still wet behind the ears and everything.” She was grinning ear to ear just imagining much of the infamous Heroes of Renalta back under one roof.