[center][h1][color=FF1493]Sophia von Zeerover[/color][/h1][/center]

Between Amaryllis' call to strike, and Eli's blustering and shouting about the car hood ornament on the Lich's club, Sophia felt a surge of adrenaline kick in. Or perhaps it was...excitement? It had been one thing after another since she'd awoken in those ruins of a graveyard, and been attacked out of the blue, and then kidnapped to some beach dimension. Her body and mind were craving the thrill of putting her all into something, of letting out all of that frustration and pent up energy. With such in mind, however, there was only one thing she could do at this venture. 

Mariette and her goons had some of the work in part, and Amaryllis had done some as well. So now it was her turn!  

[color=FF1493]"TIME TEH' REAP YER ASS NOW, YA BONY FECKER!!!"[/color]

Sophia charged forward in flight, dodging about the finger bullets fired at herself and the other girls. Her axe was readied for striking, and she was willing to invest much of the rest of her mana in striking down the foe before her. Specifically she focused and aimed to cleave the hood ornament on Billy's club, whilst not caring if she slashed through even the bony monster's right hand in the process if she could. She would put her all into this, to strike down her opponent with mighty force that could not be matched! She would cleave bone in twain, rend his blasted club into hamster sized chunks, and destroy that blasted hood ornament with all she could do to it! 

Then if she could, she'd mount the lifeless skull of this thing on the prow of her ship. Such would be so very pirate-y indeed!  

[@PlatinumSkink][@BrokenPromise][@ERode]

[hr]

[center][h1][color=6A5ACD]Serenity Gates[/color][/h1][/center]

...Had her silent prayers been answered? A brilliant set of golden eyes, a voice like a chorus of angels that brought tears too all that heard it, and a miracle come forth before her eyes. A holy miracle of Beacon, untainted by the Ascendancy's bloodlust. Mercy. Love. Even that seeming angel herself, who watched over these proceedings as the judge, wept tears of her own. Alicia's words had rung true, the judge had deemed her worthy, and yet there remained one last elephant in the room to take care of. Indeed, there was one last issue that had to be taken care of...herself. Though it had been said her Spark was true, that she lacked corruption even, would this do to convince others completely about her? Would it convince them she wasn't some horror or horror-affliate in disguise, trying to destroy them from within? She knew not, but to stand up for herself for once and reinforce the truths of the friend that had spoken up for her...that was the right thing to do. 

Summing up all the bravery she could muster, and all of her willpower to boot, Serenity stepped forward next to Alicia and before the enraptured assembly's attention. After she briefly glanced at the white coin floated there before Alicia, its glow soft and gentle, Serenity breathed in and out before reaching into her own pocket. After a brief moment of struggle, due to her hands being cuffed together in front of her, the magical girl then withdrew a small object she held aloft before the crowd. 

The object itself was small, however, in the shape of a deep blue gem enclosed tightly in a small golden cage. The gem itself seemed to bear a soft glow within, however, a familiar 'spark' that could not be denied. So too did the small golden cage have something unique to it, an almost light-like appearance to it that was engraved with an ornate golden filigree beyond any mortal make. 

[color=6A5ACD]"The cardinal's words ring true! Without compassion, we will not survive these darker times! Without a true and pure love to encompass all...our 'justice' becomes false, and so very woefully blind, cutting down all in its path without care or remorse! 

Shall we let ourselves be blinded to the point the world fears us, and we become akin to the terrible horrors that slither in the darkness of the universe?  

Because...I was once part of one of those horrors, and was something that could not understand love or the light of true justice! I made light of it, jeered at the concept of love, and abused the lives of the innocent...yet in those moments before my death, the light of Beacon came to me! 

It spoke to me of compassion, of penance, and of an understanding I once fully lacked!"[/color]

In that moment something seemed to...click within Serenity, and a before unseen boldness surged to the surface as she shouted aloud to the assembly. Her voice eked with of a truly ironclad conviction. Her face too seemed to change, becoming the very picture of determined resolution. Perhaps it was the heat and emotion of the moment, perhaps it was her pouring all of her feelings into her plea, but in the end it did not matter to Serenity. She had to do what was right in this moment, or risk standing silent before a world that had before been reviling her. 

Never again would she merely stand idly by. Never would she let a friend stand alone before the world. Never again would she back down from what she knew to be right, to be truly right, at her very core. Such was the conviction of her compassion...such was her vow, which she cherished so much. 

[color=6A5ACD]"It spoke that this spark would glow brightly within my very soul, that my will and fate would be reforged by it, but in return I could never escape those memories I bore nor the knowledge of my former self's many sins and deeds. Such is the nature of my penance...and of my eternal existence as a magical girl, bound forever to Beacon's holy light of my own free will and volition! 

If any of you still doubt my dedication to true justice, to a true love and compassion that encompasses all, and to the pure light and true path of Beacon that my friend Alicia has proven to be in line with this day, I will humbly offer you this. 

This container is my very soul, made bear and vulnerable to all, which shall shine forth as a witness of my convictions! Let the holy light of true love, of true justice and compassion, of the true path, pour forth upon all to witness! Let it prove that [b]I AM BEACON[/b]!!!"[/color]

Before the eyes of the onlooking crowd, and the cardinal whose subtle smile and voice pierced the hearts of all in the room, Serenity's Soul Gem suddenly began to glow. A brilliant golden light, just like that of the cardinal's eyes, shot forth from the small and fragile-looking object that would illuminate the room. Yet the light itself was not blinding...indeed, it was instead a truly warm light, gently but distinctly caressing the forms of those in the room with a holy and easily-recognizable radiance. Yet after a few moments, the light once again faded, returning to the far more humble golden glow that Serenity's Soul Gem had originally been emanating. 

Yet as the spectacle faded, so too did some amount of Serenity's strength. The girl fell down on her knees, huffing and puffing as the mental, physical, and emotional highs began to fade...though some other tiredness seemed to also be taking hold after that brilliant light. Indeed, for her that light had been so warm, so reminiscent of her rebirth and conversion it had brought on some tears now streaming down her face. Remaining conscious, however, Serenity pulled her hands back down, placing the soul gem close to her chest. 

[color=6A5ACD]"If you doubt my resolve...then let me bear one of those White Coin...as a sign of my conviction...,"[/color] the girl spoke, her huffing and puffing very much audible as she spoke, [color=6A5ACD]"And if any must pay for my past sins...let it be all upon me...but spare the others who have shown kindness to me....i beg you..."[/color]