op2024
Half Pint
wintersoldier
Noctis
Bork Lazer
mickilennial
Nallore
Marik
Ivar
Lord WraithCATHERINE CORIANDER
Fog filled the air, thick like foam, so dense one couldn’t see an inch through it. Only two things crested through it: one was beams of light, reflecting through the water droplets to create an even glow in the dawnlight. The other was the Babylon, a ship of dark gray wood, its sails as deep black. A lone man stood at the prow of the ship behind the figurehead, the angry horse’s mane sculpted like the flames of a Nightmare. A dark coat with gold tassel hung from his shoulders, the reddish-tan skin of his crossed arms poking through. Mid length black hair fluttered in the wind. Behind him, two dozen men were readying themselves for battle, the tension high. Even in the utter lack of visibility, they moved with no hesitation and made no errors, possessing sight beyond sight.
“One minute until the descent, everyone!”
Approaching the man at the prow, another man scratched at his short gold hair, deep tan skin, and the collar of his black leather shirt raised like the hairs on the back of his neck. “Well Cap, any last words to the crew?” said the man with a star shaped piercing in his ear. [Benjamin “Belze” Morningstar, Helmsman of the Abyssal Call]
He was met with a smile. “You know I’ve always been more partial to action over words. Or thinking.” Ben didn’t laugh. The captain’s smile faded. “What, you’re worried? It’s not like we can turn back now and leave Hamel and John high and dry.”
Ben was silent for a moment, before holding his hand up. “You know I’m with you to the end, Captain. Just sad that we might be putting down another ship after we lost the Breeze.” A second later, he gave his hand a wave, and the ship lurched, pointing down, the vessel breaking from the fog, flecks of condensation spraying about, turning to ice in the altitude. The ship appeared above the land of green, trees and grass spread amongst the pure white buildings. But the ship hurtled towards the largest point of note: a massive castle spires serving as the highest constructions in the world. The roads of the city reached to the end of the red landmass, where they gave way to sheer cliffs, only white visible below, blue seas of the lower world too distant to view with one’s eyes for all the air in between.
Pangea Castle, Marie Geoise, Red Line – 18 years ago
It was a thunder unheard of at the capital of the world, as the Babylon smashed into the highest tower. From all about, slave and God alike were matched as they looked at the unprecedented sight in fear and awe. While slaves wanted to run in fear, the Heavenly Dragons were more like turkeys, unable to even comprehend the happening, their bulbous jaws hung open. But the storm was only beginning. From above the castle, a dark dot descended, a ball and chain behind him. A metal iron ball expanded, its two spikes resembling horns, a jagged jaw open like fangs, two cute round eyes finishing out the face. Air wavering around it, the ball grew beyond the size of even the Abyssal Call flagship. Two horns jutting out of his head and bending to the sky at a right angle, Avalon Duskar glowered as he dropped his weapon, made legend by his own hand, the Death Ball, its maw aiming to devour the great castle. From below, a white dot rocketed upwards, a cutlass coming to bear as the Death Ball made it’s descent. Templar Grand Master Fargos was the first to meet the Devil head on, his blade clashing, Death Ball going wide, smashing into one of the more minor towers and hurtling through the dozen floors between the tip and the foundations in the Red Line. The quake finally put fear into the hearts of the of the Gods, the men and women rallying their defenses and seeking safety, as the rest of the Call began their raid in full.
Fargos, using the chain links of the Death Ball like footholds, kicked himself upwards, his blade reflecting his own long, pale indigo hair and wrinkled face on one side while the other revealed the Devil’s angular features and furrowed brow. The blade seemed to crackle in the air as it made to bite into Avalon’s flesh, but it never made it. Avalon’s fist met Fargos’ cheek, the shape of his face twisting as he was launched, blasting a man sized hole into the castle.
Avalon’s feet reached the roof with a crash. Flicking his wrist, his ball and chain started to shrink in size, though by the time he pulled it back into his hand it was still the size of a wagon. Weapon in one hand, he jabbed his other at the highest window of Pangea Castle, finger stabbing into the heart of Marie Geoise itself. He opened his mouth, and roared words that would echo forevermore:
“Tell me, Elders! World Nobles! What are you hiding!? What is in this world you’re looking down on that you’re so afraid of!?” Coriander spoke in a raspy tone, arms raised to the top of the tent, hands twisted like the claws of the Devil. Lowering her gaze to the enraptured children in bedclothes, sitting atop sleeping bags, she turned her claws and fangs on them, cackling.
Tent on the Outskirts of Tune Town, Melody Island – Present Day
Coriander lunged, the kids screaming and scrambling out of the way. Cassia, small and stuck in the middle, didn’t make it, Coriander’s hands finding his soft sides, forcing him into fits of laughter in her Devilish Tickle Assault of Marie Geobliques.
“No! Stopitstopitstopitahahahaha!” Cassia giggled. Trying to scramble away from Coriander, he begged, “Help me!”
Coriander’s assault stopped as Peppermint slipped in behind her, looping her arms underneath her shoulders and stepping back. Coriander might as well have been strung up from a mainmast, for all her ability to pull herself free. Sorrel, Verbena, and Rue approached, vile grins upon their faces. “No! Not fair, you’re ganging up on me-Bwewheeheeheeheehee, heeheeheEHEEHEE AUGH STOPT AHEEHEE!” The battle was long, but eventually, like all conflicts, it came to an end, the low light from the small lantern strung to the top of the tent near a gap for exhaust stopping its rocking motion.
Their tent a short ways from the town, a bit further out from the church and Ryu Burnet’s home, the kids had all the peace and quiet they’d wanted (and so did the parents). A light breeze was more than enough to keep the kids snug in their bedding rather than wander in the dark, and they were more than happy to play in what ways they could in the cramped space. Through the darkness outside it honestly felt like they were alone in the world.
Everyone slumped back into their spots, catching their breath in the post-war, Coriander went to a paper sack, pulling out pre-sliced loaf of banana bread from her home. “This is the last one, so we’re going to brush our teeth and go to bed soon!”
“Boooooo,” Sorrel moped.
“Tell us more about the Devil!” Rue demanded, taking her chunk of bread.
Cassia whined, “He’s scary…”
“Yeah that’s why he’s cool!” Rue insisted.
“Plus he’s dead,” Verbena insisted.
Cassia shook his head. “No! Coriander and Mother Basil talk about him all the time.” His innocent comment was met with a couple giggles, the reaction clearly flustering him.
Coriander was given pause. “Oh, yeah that is confusing.” Taking a bite, she waiting until she swallowed before she answered. “He’s a pirate right? And pirates are thieves. He stole the name ‘The Devil’ from the Devil, but he’s a human! The worst human ever. But the Devil Devil is like, the worst ever. Like all the evil ever. Does that make sense?” Cassia stared, before shaking his head. “I’ll ask Mother Basil about it later...but don’t let that make you think Avalon isn’t a big deal. God and the Devil don’t physically exist in the world, and they influence it through people. Avalon didn’t have faith, so he became an avatar of the Devil himself, and struck against the Gods.” She raised her hand, floating it along as she mimed the Babylon’s airborne voyage. “He came from above Marie Geoise, putting himself above the Heavenly Dragons, even though he never listened to God himself. That’s why no one answered him when he asked his question. God speaks to you through your faith, so they had nothing to say to the faithless. But his anger tore Marie Geoise asunder. When not even the Heavenly Dragons are safe, no one is. The three Admirals all died or left the Marines after. Hundreds of battleships sailed in and so many didn’t even return. The Templars fought their hardest but still lost a lot of men. The Cardinals were non-combatants and even they got caught in the crossfire. We’re still feeling the effects to this very day. If not for the traitor, he might have even succeeded.” Coriander paused, the reality starting to dawn on her and her alone, as the kids merely watched on, sensing the gravity more through her tone than their understanding. “He struck against the Gods and nearly won, ruining the capital of the world and earning the highest bounty in history. It was the worst thing to ever happen.”
After Coriander finished, nothing moved, bread going uneaten as the kids tried to process her claim. Even she was left contemplating that, taking another bite of her bread.
Sorrel admitted, “Wow, I kinda thought having to go to church was dumb, but you’re actually pretty important, Coriander.”
Cheeks flushing a bit, mouth still full of banana bread, Coriander scratched the back of her head with a sheepish look.
Verbena noted, “My dad talks about the Devil’s Legion a lot though, they keep coming up in the newspaper.”
Peppermint cried, “Those guys are the worst!” Standing up, she punched a fist out in a quick bout of shadowboxing. “If they’re still around when I’m a Marine they better watch out!”
Eyes flashing as they watched for anyone unaware moving in Peppermint’s path, Coriander agreed “You’re telling me!”
A Humid Day of Melody:
Roaring Devils, Silent Dragons
