xxxxxi. Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)
by Florence + the Machine
( this is a gift, it comes with a price )
( this is a gift, it comes with a price )
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xxxxx"The Wings of the Heavens, a child bathed in gold, will descend upon the living as a messenger from the Gods. It will live amongst the mortals for ten years' time; then, a rapture will commence. The worthy will ascend, the damned will suffer."
xxxxxValorine knew she was different. It was in the Father's gentle patience, encouraging her to practice her healing so that she'd be ready by her coming of age; in the seething jealousy from Allies over the lavishness she shrouded with. It was in the limbs on her back: the Wings of the Heavens.
xxxxxShe hated it.
xxxxxFormalities were stifling, as were the glares. She was too much for others to connect with, yet not enough to fulfill the image they so desired. Val didn't feel divine. The kit, unruly and anxious, was fated to a loneliness she couldn't bear. Yet, that was the price, wasn't it?
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xxxxxii. Seeing Stars
by Empathy Test
( we all know what goes on behind closed doors )
( we all know what goes on behind closed doors )
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xxxxxAre you not happy, child?
xxxxxI'm happy, Father, she lied.
xxxxxThe Alliance's leaders, in all their glory, could not seem to please Valorine. They showered her healing prowess with praise and bestowed her with jewels and gold, but their surface-level affections were for naught. It took little to notice her discomfort. Oreste, the young second-in-command, was the only one Val considered a genuine friend. One fateful meeting with this mentor changed everything. "You're only a child, you don't deserve to be their sacrifice!"
xxxxx"Sacrifice?" The kit's eyes widened.
xxxxxOreste froze, knowing he'd said too much. The plan wasn't quite ready — but he realized it had to be. "Valorine... meet me tomorrow night. Get your things. We're sneaking you out of here."
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xxxxxiii. Come Along
by Cosmo Shelldrake
( don't let moments pass along )
( don't let moments pass along )
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xxxxxDrunk on newfound freedom, the coming weeks were a blur of joyous travel. Staying put was risky — and, moreover, it was boring. Valorine bounced between towns, selling her healing in marketplaces. She dropped tears into 'potions', knowing direct magic usage would draw too much attention. A cloak, while not hiding her inexperience, hid her wings.
xxxxxAnd, flight! She'd never flown before, but Val resolved to teach herself; empty forest clearings were classrooms, hidden from prying eyes. Slowly, surely, she learned to lift herself to the sky, catch the wind, and soar beyond worry.
xxxxxAway from the luxury of a lamb to be slaughtered, as a rough-and-tumble peddler, Val felt like she was no longer merely a gift. Valorine was a person, and she refused to miss a moment of living.
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xxxxxiv. Picture
by And The Kids
( i wonder if we should have stayed home )
( i wonder if we should have stayed home )
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xxxxxMonths passed, and fresh eyes faded. The world was more confusing than Valorine had ever imagined it to be. While some were friendly, some Kalons treated each other with utmost cruelty. The poor, the wounded, the abandoned... she'd never seen such tragedy in her cushy Alliance life.
xxxxxAnd —
xxxxxThere were two kits following Valorine. She knew it.
xxxxxVal would've been happy to pass them off as fellow travelers, but... she remembered them. The Illusionist's children, the twins. The younger of the two was meek, but the older's reputation was one to be afraid of.
xxxxxValorine tried to shake off the thought that it would have been better to stay home.
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xxxxxv. Bloodflood
by alt-J
( breathe in —— exhale, )
( breathe in —— exhale, )
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xxxxxDespite her freedom, Val is bound to her past. The Alliance could be anywhere. She tries to remain cheeky and light-hearted around others, but fear riddles her entire being. One wrong move could send her back to the altar to be slaughtered.
xxxxxShe's afraid.
xxxxxYet, this fear is a relief. It peels back the label of 'divinity'. After a lifetime of being the other, it gives her a commonality with any old Kalon. It's the adrenaline rush, the blood that floods through the veins of all.
xxxxxValorine lifts her head to the sky, smiles, and takes flight.
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(604 words / 1 art piece)
my Kalons (for proof of no legendary!)
Thank you for reading, and I hope you've enjoyed Valorine's tale!
my Kalons (for proof of no legendary!)
Thank you for reading, and I hope you've enjoyed Valorine's tale!
