by SunnyJustice » Fri Feb 03, 2017 8:37 pm
Windwoods Ruins
Cadence was going to disgrace everything up.
She caught her daughter as she fell, although she was so angry, she could have thrown her. Just out of random rage, she slapped Timpani across the face with her telekinesis. This immediately woke up the now-revived girl, who had been unconscious. Emotionlessly, Timpani looked up at the Mayor.
"I missed the rest of the fight," was the first thing Timpani said.
"ON YOUR FEET, MAGGOT!" Cadence roared, kicking Timpani in the ribs. "You just came back to life, but I'll send you right back to Celestial Tower if you don't shut up!"
Dutifully, Timpani got to her feet. Anger blazed in her eyes, but she didn't retaliate against the Mayor. Cadence suspended Gwen in the air using telekinesis, and did the same to Timpani. Then she walked towards the others, pulling the airborne girls along angrily. Teenagers!
---
Windwoods Outskirts
Gavotte was a native of Windwoods. One of the last remaining, to be precise. He was taught to value imagination, and to welcome any creativity. "I imagine it's a beautiful place," He said with a smile. It would be nice to see some beauty, especially after the destruction they had witnessed.
"Tall trees surrounding a lush green area. A vast lake, sparkling with clean water." He spoke clearly, emphatically, like one of the old storytellers from his village. They were all gone now after the war.
"And I imagine that the sun would be shining. Just over the Sanctuary. Since it's Luno's refuge, Solara would have blessed that place so strongly, no curse of darkness could touch it."
His words were rhythmic just like his footsteps, as their group followed Cilan onwards. Each step took them closer and closer to their new home. They were starting to go up a mountain path now. From what Gavotte could see with his superhuman vision, the trail spiraled up this mountain, and down the next. The next mountain's path- the one heading downwards- led towards an unseen valley. Gavotte hoped it was untouched by destruction.
The lagging trio had now caught up. Cadence was cradling Gwen in her arms, and had put Timpani down on the ground. The athletic girl trailed at the back of the group, keeping a careful eye out. She knew she had disgraced up and died by a demon, but that wouldn't happen again. She had learned from her mistakes.
But she wasn't a phoenix. She would only get this one chance.
---
Celestial Tower
Clotilda, being an Adamson, was obsessed with hugs despite her callous behavior. She took a couple of steps closer to Jonah until she was standing so close to him, they were touching. She oftentimes wanted to beat everyone up except him. Sometimes she wanted to strangle him with hugs though. Sometimes she hated her size, but sometimes she realized it was quite fortunate. If she was as big and strong as Solara, really bad things would happen. For everyone's safety, it was good Clove had inherited her father's build instead.
She looked up at Solara as she nodded solemnly towards Jonah. Then he squeezed her hand, and Clove looked up at him. She loved it when the sweet little nerd was being a gentleman. Except he wasn't exactly little. He was six feet tall, and Clove hated anyone else who was that tall. Jonah was the only exception that she didn't want to beat up. She even wanted to beat up Solara most of the time.
Clove nodded to Jonah with a slight pout. He was genuinely trying to help though, and she appreciated it. So she acknowledged it by throwing her arms around his waist in a tight hug.
"Sunny, it is time to go now," Juniper said as he stepped forward and embraced his daughter. Clotilda could easily see the resemblance. They were almost identical, except Juniper was much more slender in physique, with gentler facial features compared to his stern-looking daughter. His hair was curly, while hers was straight- so straight it stuck directly up. The middle of her hairline was slightly higher, arched in a sort of faux hawk. It was so short that it barely brushed her ears, let alone her shoulders. There were literally only three ways to tell them apart. Four, if you counted Solara having her eyes closed all the time. Which creeped Clove out anyway.
"... Goodbye, daddy," Solara said. Clove couldn't help but giggle slightly at this. Fancy that. Hearing the stoic, emotionless Overseer call Juniper daddy. The childish word just sounded so out-of-place from her steady, deep voice that was iconic for making speeches, and calming even the worst of riots.
"Shine brightly, little sunflower," Juniper told her. "Stop Hesenia's destruction."
The anger came rushing back. "Hesenia's destruction?!" Clotilda echoed a third time, but this time with rage in her voice. What the disgrace was going on!
"I am sorry," Juniper said, looking from Clotilda to Jonah with an expression of sorrow. "Agatha is out of control. If she is not stopped, Hesenia will be no more. Cold water cannot end her for good. Only her heiress can."
"Heiress... what the disgrace? Are you saying mom's gonna end up like that disgracing freak Agatha?" Clotilda raged. She stepped closer to Jonah and took a deep breath. She would probably have attacked Juniper if Jonah wasn't around.
"... I will not allow it," Solara assured her.
"As our oldest living daughter, Sunny has always been the heiress," Juniper explained calmly. "It is how a phoenix's life cycle should end. At the successor's hands."
"No, give me a second," Clotilda argued. "What is Agatha trying to do?"
"Turn Hesenia to a lifeless wasteland," Juniper told her. "And live forever in the ruins. Hesenia's destruction, and the horrible deaths of every Hesenian, are nothing but jokes to her."
"She thinks this is a disgracing joke?!" Clotilda didn't realize it, but she was actually glowing with anger like any Adamson. Oh, did she hate being laughed at. "She's a joke! I wish I wasn't disgracing dead, just so that freak wouldn't laugh at me!"
Juniper looked to Jonah again, then back to Clove. He seemed to be scrutinizing something unseen to Clove's eyes. After a while, he spoke again. "I can arrange that."
Clotilda stared at him.
Juniper only smiled gently. "This war will end, one way or another. In peace or in ruin. If Agatha wins, there will be nothing left. But if Agatha is defeated, the land will be restored, and all this destruction will be healed. A world at peace, a second chance for Hesenia... In that case, would you two like to have a second chance too?"
