[h1][center][color=DC143C][b]Homura[/b][/color][/center][/h1] [h2][center][i]Courage Kindness Fear[/i][/center][/h2] Each thunderous step shook the land as three colossi marched from the western wastes of northern Termina to the eastern lands protected by the intervention of Homura during the calamity. The presence of the goddess of honor had permeated throughout the region as the flora all around grew a myriad of red akin to her visage, a veil of scarlet leaf upon numerous pale branches dancing in the wind like her hair and clothing. Homura herself guided the procession of giants towards the vermilion forests and flowery fields, focused upon reaching the eastern edge of Termina with haste, so that she might make further progress towards completing her pilgrimage. Nigh two-hundred thousand humans still slumbered peacefully upon the three colossi, awaiting to be awakened by the touch of the divine. Before their trek brought them to the threshold of the fields and forest, Homura held Daybringer aloft and the three colossi came to a halt. The land that lay between that which had been ravaged by the calamity and that which had been preserved by herself was littered with debris; scorned stone and uprooted trees ripped apart during the violent storm. A vast plain strewn with the pieces of the world that she had failed to protect - their destruction a result of her ineptitude and ignorance as a goddess. She could not even protect her own creations when they were close to her, when she could see their faces and hear their hearts. The mockery of Iqelis and the cannibalism of the north weighed heavily upon her, but such burdens would wash away once she created the Inverse Fire and held the key to paradise. She would seek atonement soon and award the world with what waited at the end of the Sacred Path, but for now she must continue her quest to spread the seeds of humanity across Galbar. Beyond the broken corpses of the once-mountains and the tall trees was a living land that would be surely be trampled by the three colossi should they press onward, so Homura sought a means to traverse the verdant realm peacefully. She closed her eyes as she contemplated, and her champions descended from their positions atop each colossus, then approached the goddess. "These are the trees near Keltra! Are we returning now?" Courage asked, alone as her sisters seemed to preoccupy themselves with observing the terrain or looking back towards their massive mechanical beasts of burden. "[b]No. We are traveling further east for now.[/b]" Homura replied, and turned to face her three champions. Courage, Kindness, and Fear proceeded to bow before her as her eyes shimmered with heavenly light and her voice resonated with power. The world seemed to warp as the wind around them silently pressed and pushed against them, lifted them, and held them. Though they were free and filled with motion as their loose garment and long hair billowed slowly, an unseen force kept them from moving. "We won't be walking over the trees, will we?" Fear asked, her eyes peering over the shoulder of the goddess to the scarlet forest that stood silently, and the champion felt dread upon consideration of its potential demise. "Why not simply turn back and avoid this. Navigating the sea seems the appropriate course, I think." Kindness offered in an attempt to alleviate the concern she could glean in her sister's tone. "[b]That would be inefficient regarding time. This is an opportunity.[/b]" The goddess spoke firmly, and refrained from mentioning that she could not recall the exact path she taken to arrive at their current location. Such information was deemed unnecessary. The world was much larger than even the goddess could comprehend, and she ascertained that there was truly no wrong direction to take aside from backwards which seemed to insinuate either a mistake or cowardice. Memories of the northern realm and its profane circle of life caused Homura to include the act of not choosing a direction and remaining fixed as another wrong direction... or lack of it, she concluded. "An opportunity?" Courage asked as she felt curiosity supersede her worries, and allowed herself to grin with excitement. Neither of her sisters shared her enthusiasm though, but that would not bother her. Three sets of red eyes focused on the goddess of Homura and awaited an explanation. "[b]It is time you three learned to dance.[/b]" There was a brief moment of bemusement between the three champions after hearing those words. Courage, Kindness, and Fear considered what their maker meant, but found themselves only further confused. "Hmm..." "Dance?" "Sounds like fun!" [center]---[/center] "[b]Enough! Attempt it once again from the beginning.[/b]" Homura had quickly discovered that teaching did not come easily to her, but she refused to surrender to the ire that had steadily increased as her three champions demonstrated what she imagined a colossus would do if you continually punched it in the head for a long period of time. Perhaps it could be said that the barely functional mechanical creature could still perform better than whatever the trio in front of her were trying to accomplish. Kindness was just repeatedly rotating... Fear would flail with flimsy reluctance and almost seemed to stumble when she leaned too much into any motion. Courage was close to understanding rhythm and certainly conveyed her passion, but she was also a safety hazard to those that were close to her which prevented any cohesion with the other two. Homura felt pain from observing them and wondered whether she should just ask Iqelis to end her suffering. "Look at me!" Courage exclaimed as she slammed her rear into Fear's back, her victim thrown to the ground with her assailant laughing nearby. The prone champion sighed before she rolled onto her back and turned her attention to the sky. It was easier to accept defeat, it seemed. "Courage, you have interrupted our practice and have yet to apologize to Fear." The quiet voice of Kindness cut though the laughter of her sister, and ushered an uncomfortable silence. "Why? It looked like she was going to fall anyway." Kindness chose to ignore that remark with an empty expression much more potent at conveying her displeasure, and then moved to sit beside Fear. Courage turned her gaze away with anger, and grumbled to herself as she returned to her dangerous attempt at dancing once more. Both quiet champions simply rested with their gaze upwards, taking in the vast majesty of the heavens above them. Both thought the same to themselves, [i]truly beautiful[/i]. The sight brought them tranquility and eased their troubled minds. "Would you like to practice with me?" Kindness asked the suddenly anxious Fear, a small smile upon her face as she saw her sister hesitantly consider the request. Fear nodded, and then the two stood up. The red goddess watched the duo as they prepared to dance with each other, amused by the unexpected development. She had stared up towards the sky as well, to the pale moon scarred from foolish fights between the divine, and wondered what the Monarch of All thought of all their petty squabbles and conflicts. Iqelis had reeked of divine death, the stench of godblood upon him. It had sickened her. "Hold my hand, Fear, like this." Kindness took hold of her sister's hand and softly chuckled. "Are you sure? I, uh, don't want to trip you." Fear averted her eyes from her sister, and felt heat rise from her chest and warm her cheeks. It muddled her thoughts, and paradoxically frightened her in a way that she wanted to welcome. "You won't." And Kindness once again began... rotating. Homura sighed as her most reticent champion slowly pulled her most meek champion in a circle around herself. Homura agreed, there was definitely no risk of anyone tripping. Courage became discontent to continue her thrashing, and dashed towards the three colossi. "I'll be back!" She shouted behind her as she leapt and bound further and farther away. Fear felt herself tremble and recede into her mind where she could pretend she was gracefully guiding her sister through a wondrous weaving of ephemeral motion and melody. "Something is bothering you." A gentle voice interrupted Fear's thoughts, and she saw that her sister wore a soft smile. She did not think that Kindness was capable of mockery or violence, and such a thought brought the anxious champion comfort. Enough to speak. "I want [b]her[/b] to trust us. To rely on us." Fear confessed. "Why would you think she does not trust us?" The subtle shift in her sister's smile reminded Fear of the times when Curiosity would ask about Homura and the sorrow of the past. Kindness had inherited her haunted smile, it seemed. "Because we're a burden. We're too weak to be reliable. All that we've done, she could've done by herself much faster. She doesn't actually need us, it feels like. I don't understand; Is she disappointed in me? Have I done something wrong?" Fear struggled to hide the hurt and the doubt within herself, lest she become nothing more than a burden for Kindness as well. "She would not have created us if we were only a weakness to her. I think that she is afraid... of losing us. You heard her when she spoke with the other makers; their concern for death and destruction spreading across the world." Kindness contemplated her next words with an enigmatic expression that Fear found both curious and concerning. "To garner faith with our maker, we must become worthy of it. Fear, we will have to become brave. For our own sake, and for her as well." She proclaimed. "How?" Fear asked. They continued their boring and languid twirls that could only be compared to a broken gear during its death throes as it eventually grinds to a halt. The duo seemed determined to carry on their awkward act while they conversed. "Why not prove yourself? Ask if we could navigate the colossi by ourselves while she seeks some required respite. Surely she will value such usefulness and when she returns, she is more likely to be quite affable, I think." Kindness offered after a moment of quiet pondering. Her words had tempted Fear, and the bashful champion felt conviction rise within her. "I can be brave." She whispered to herself with newfound resolve, as her eyes flashed with sudden levity and she grinned. Kindness could almost mistake her shy sister for the much more brash Courage then. Kindness let out a small surprised gasp as Fear reversed her pull without warning, and altered the repetitive rotation of their dance; its direction and its pace. Then she altered it again, returning to the previous direction, but increasing the speed further. Kindness was forced to use more of her strength to keep hold of Fear as she seemed to heel and careen back and forth. Homura observed how the stability of Kindness prevented Fear from leaning too far, though she still stumbled quite often, but those slips always stirred and shifted Kindness out of her stiff movements. She wondered if Fear would truly approach her again with her request despite her command to leave such alone for now. Slowly, but surely, the two tapped and stepped in rhythm, their limbs stretching and shapes swaying, attuned to the laughter of Kindness and the happiness of Fear. They were dancing. Then the earth shook, and the two champions fell to the ground. They all looked towards the west where the three colossi began striking the land with their immense metal hooves, then rising to stand on their rear legs and unleashing a tumultuous bellow. Leaping between the glittering crowns atop each colossi, Courage struck swiftly all of the pillars. Her hands were a blur, and a ringing chime reverberated through the air - an ethereal and chthonic melody that awoke the melody of the massive, the chant of the colossal. Homura simply smiled as she saw the three titans succumb to the song and danced. [center]---[/center] The red forest stood still and silent. The trees and the flowers were respectful as an audience, allowing the procession of performers to peacefully step forth onto the metaphorical stage before them. Homura held Daybringer in her hand, the golden spear had shorten itself to the length close to her forearm. She then brought the small weapon close to her mouth and spoke. "[b]Hello Kel-Phenalah! It is an honor to be here![/b]" The red goddess gracefully gestured to herself, and then to the two behind her, Kindness and Fear. Much farther back was Courage leading the three colossi. All of them seemed apprehensive, nervously twiddling their fingers, even the ever stoic Kindness blinked repeatedly with anxious energy. "[b]My name is Homura and these are my heralds; Courage, Kindness, and Fear![/b]" There was a lack of applause since plants could not clap with excitement. "[b]Allow us to captivate your souls with our performance, and awaken the beauty of love and joy within them. We are not trespassers in your realm, we are pilgrims seeking passage through. Let us show you![/b]" Homura announced and then held Daybringer aloft. Rivers of light emerged from the spear tip, flowing and weaving through the air, forming a veil that shrouded the goddess and her entourage. Great radiant pulses sailed across the sky, and suppressed booms echoed. Boom. Boom. Boom. Serpentine streams of light arose from the blinding veil, hissing as they arced and waved with the wind. Upon growing to immense lengths, they would burst and release a soft sound - a crystalline inhaling sound, fractal and lethargic, but building in intensity until it merged with the repetition of the larger booms. A myriad of more and more streams had risen and replaced their shattered forebears, differing lengths and shapes resulting in various volumes and sounds. The celestial light from the center of the veil peeled back, unfolding like the many petals of a flower as it bloomed, and revealing the red goddess standing still. Then she stepped towards the forest, her elegant stride laced with movements in sync with the beat of the booming waves and ethereal melody of the starry streams. Swinging her feet, and bending her arms, with measured strength and divine grace. Homura reached a point where the light encircled her, and she danced in the center. Her hands and feet would clap, her hair following her form, and her face painted with enraptured bliss, she was powerful and free. Splash - Clap! She seemed to guide the rivers of light with her body and its enchanting motion. It imitated her, clashing and twisting, swiftly soaring only to enter into a lulled tranquility then surge once again in a cycle. A colossal canvas of colorful cadence and chords created the stage she performed upon and a beautiful background behind her. She sang as she danced, her words were both demanding and playful: [center][b][i]You won't be healed with hatred-[/i][/b][/center] [center][b][i]You can't be cured through cruelty-[/i][/b][/center] [center][b][i]Pray and let my light reach you-[/i][/b][/center] [center][b][i]Pray and gift your love to me![/i][/b][/center] Homura held out her hand to the trees and the flowers, and their natural beauty was reflected in her red eyes. She smiled with predacious yearning, and exuding an arrogance that the pretentious and narcissistic could only dream of achieving. Her mien seemed to suggest that it is only expected that everyone else should be as equally delighted by her presence. [center][b][i]I am divine, majestic and beautiful-[/i][/b][/center] [center][b][i]So worship me, worship me, worship me, please hehe-[/i][/b][/center] [center][b][i]Pray and let my light reach you-[/i][/b][/center] [center][b][i]Pray and gift your love to me![/i][/b][/center] The red goddess pouted, and walked along the inner length of the circle of light. She shook her head with frustration, and her hair fluttered in agreement. Back and forth, around and around, she vehemently conveyed her ire as she lashed out and sulked like an angry and confused child. She stopped, and looked back at the forest with concern. Her demeanor had suddenly changed as she brought her hand daintily towards her face, and attempted to hide her cheeks that turned bright red. She glanced away. [center][b][i]I'm not selfish, no, I'm just honorable-[/i][/b][/center] [center][b][i]And a goddess should have followers-[/i][/b][/center] [center][b][i]Focus on me, all eyes on me, and only me-[/i][/b][/center] [center][b][i]Don't look away, don't leave...[/i][/b][/center] [center][b][i]I don't want to be alone![/i][/b][/center] The circle collapsed and the rivers of light surged towards the singer. She was swept into the current and pulled beneath the blinding tide, her voice drowned in its intense symphony of sound. The music roared; it continued to marched forth and resonated with power. "Be brave." An encouraging whisper went unheard over the otherworldly orchestra. The light parted and formed into a circle once more. In its center stood Kindness and Fear holding onto each other. The latter was trembling, anxiously looking in every direction. "I can't do this." The meek champion mumbled to herself. The music soared, rising higher and higher, the same sounds repeating and repeating, tense became the tune. "I'm with you. We can do this together." Kindness pressed, her eyes peering deep into the depths of Fear, reaching out towards something inside... a far away hope. Then they began to dance. They swirled and swayed, the glimmer of their hair and their dresses illuminated by the light, skin gently glowing, and with expressions of euphoria. Fear lifted Kindness from her feet leading her through the air in her arms, and when she leaned too much and went too far, Kindness pulled herself back, and the two resumed their twirling on the ground. The voice of Homura mingled with the melody once more. [center][b][i]Forgive me for my flaws, I didn't know-[/i][/b][/center] [center][b][i]Hold me, hold me, and never let go-[/i][/b][/center] [center][b][i]I wish to dance again and again before the end-[/i][/b][/center] [center][b][i]Holding onto kindness, I make my oath...[/i][/b][/center] The music and the singing became quiet, then both breathed in before unleashing the crescendo of the performance. The crystalline chimes quietly flowing swift like the wind as it whispers through the woods. The reverberating booms, steady and slow like the stone in defiance of the transient touch of time. Boom! Boom! Boom! The three colossi reared and stomped as they marched and cantered around the luminous circle. Courage leapt from crown to crown, whirling and twisting with fierce agility. Her hands were a blur as she struck outwards upon landing, and she let the massive machines merge with the starry streams that shattered and echoed all around. Kindness and Fear simply waved at their sister as she soared high above them across the circle. The light was then carried further, the sounds stretched to last longer, and allowing the emotion to endure - the cry from Homura's heart continued to persist. Howling and broken, her words were woven within a desperate and distorted filter. [center][b][i]I will always protect you, no matter what-[/i][/b][/center] [center][b][i]I promise you'll never be afraid when I am near-[/i][/b][/center] [center][b][i]Pray and let my light reach you-[/i][/b][/center] [center][b][i]Pray and gift your love to me![/i][/b][/center] Time then turned slowly; the light languidly poured forth and flickered like flying embers from a bonfire, freed from the weight of the world. The intensity of the melody lingered, yet also drifted away akin to a dream when morning comes. It seemed far away. Homura had yet to awaken from her slumber, and enjoyed the serenity offered in the moment. She arose from the lake of light that formed beneath the performers. [center][b][i]Can you hear me? Can you hear my vow?[/i][/b][/center] [center][b][i]Only my faith to guide me now...[/i][/b][/center] The music faded into the forest, beckoning the goddess to follow it. It suffused the flora and the earth, and ingrained itself into their souls. There was no resentment or scorn. No violent rejection. "[b]We may pass through the forest without hindrance.[/b]" The red goddess looked back to her champions, and smiled. Before Courage, Kindness, or Fear could react, they suddenly sank into the liquid light underneath them. Even the immense colossi were consumed by the celestial water, and the procession found themselves falling through the void faintly illuminated by stars and shimmering symbols. They fell along a path that was repeating their performance to them, and the champions saw themselves through the eyes of their audience. They fell towards another sea of light, but found themselves alighting on their feet - upright and unharmed from the great descent. Before them was Homura and the forest, as though they had never moved at all. "[b]Let us continue onward.[/b]" Homura said as the strode towards her confused champions with her familiar stern expression. [center]---[/center] They traversed the red forest, heading eastward. Twilight bathed the land in lulling light, gentle and quiet. Courage looked across the vast stretch of treetops in search of its end, and perhaps a familiar place. She glanced down to the strange sight of massive hooves merging and passing through hundreds of plants without disturbing them. She watched as the three colossi simply walked through the forest, without anything to mark their passage. There was no shaking of the earth, nor thunderous roars from each step. Just the whisper of the wind as they wandered farther and farther. Courage could not explain how the difference to their means of transportation had occurred, nor could she quite articulate her feelings on the change. She found that the rumble and booms of their journey had become a welcome way to relax when neither of her sisters chose to converse with her, and the lay of the land had become too much for her to try take in all at once. It would be fun to come back, and take time to really see everything, she thought to herself. She struck the pillars of the crown as many times she considered would direct the beast of burden forward a great distance, and then she leapt to where her sister stood atop her own colossus. "Hey Fear. I'm bored. Come with me to ask our maker about the weird walking through the woods without stepping on anything, ya." Courage asked as she poked her sister. "No... let's not, Courage. She would've called us if she wanted to explain." Fear replied, but her twin simply sighed. Courage couldn't help but find her sister's aversion to confronting the unknown an annoying trait. "Come on. Come on. I know you wanted to speak with her as well." She tried, refusing to let go, and aiming at the desires she knew her sister tried to conceal. "We can't just leave our positions. How will the colossi move then?" Fear shot back, emphasizing her words with a strike against the forward pillar. Its chime resonated and the colossus continued its march. "Just hit it more than once." Courage said, as if explaining a basic concept to an idiot. "Huh?" "Like this." Courage proceeded to demonstrate, and seemingly timed her attacks in sync with the steps of the other colossi. Fear merely watched her sister with a sense of awe. She felt foolish for never realizing that such an efficient way was possible. "That should do it, for a while at least." Courage continued, and chuckled at the sight of Fear. "Now that you lack such a flimsy excuse, let's go see our maker." Then the brash champion grabbed her sister, and leapt towards the canopy of the forest where Homura was. The red goddess remained still and silent as they approached. The branches beneath her bent, and curved upwards in defiance of gravity, reaching towards the deity with their wooden hands adorned in scarlet leaves. The two champions bowed before her, continually reminded of the power of divinity when in her presence. Courage was the first to speak. "Yo! You've been keeping to yourself lately, and Fear is all worried for you. Stop being so distant with us, so she doesn't have to worry. Oh, and what's with the quiet walking? What happened to the loud and powerful steps of our colossi?" Fear fought to silence her sister, pulling on her hand, but the other champion was too strong with reckless resolve, so she simply surrendered and stood ready to face the oncoming wrath. "[b]She need not be concerned, as I have previously said to her. As for your question, we are walking upon the sacred path. Our song became a spell that rewrote the rules of reality. While we tread through Kel-Phenalah, our forms will be effectively intangible as a result. The forest will remain respected and unharmed, while the colossi can safely pass through their domain. That is what happened.[/b]" Homura answered calmly, and then looked over her shoulder at the duo. The shadows beneath her eyes chilled them to their cores. "Oh." Was all Courage could say. Fear felt compelled to challenge the goddess, as she could not accept being told to let go of her fears. Her hand clenched Courage's, and her sister noticed. "Don't ignore us!" She suddenly shouted, and her voice seemed so much more stark in the profuse silence. "Please... can't you trust us?" Homura seemed to contemplate what her champion had said, and the two mortals hoped that she would open up to them. Courage could admit that though the goddess was with them all of the time, the deity had started to seclude her thoughts from them. Explanations had to be asked for, and banter was started solely by them since leaving the northern realm. Courage realized that their maker was willingly keeping secrets from them then, and wondered what that truly meant. "[b]What do you mean?[/b]" Homura asked. "You want us to help you, right? But you haven't let us do anything on our own yet. You've told us what to do each time. We won't become reliable if we always depend on your guidance, so let us do something to prove ourselves. Please." Fear let herself plead before the goddess, desperate for her maker to understand. She had bowed a second time, and saw that her sister had joined her. "[b]So be it.[/b]" Both champions looked up to see Homura facing them. It took them a moment to realize that they had received permission, and then they jumped with joy. Neither could contain their excitement nor pride upon being bestowed the opportunity to prove worthy of their maker's faith. Zenia is likely to blame for such silly displays, but Homura kept that thought to herself. "We won't fail you!" Courage proclaimed, and Fear nodded in agreement beside her. "[b]Very well. When we reach the sea, I shall depart for the pale orb above. You are to protect your sleeping kin from danger until I return. Should any of the divine approach, you are to reveal yourselves and comply with whatever they say. The colossi are to remain still, as I cannot protect the sea from their crossing from afar. Do you understand?[/b]" "Understood!" Neither of the two champions would complain aloud that Homura was still directing them around, as this would be the first test. The trial of proving themselves was only just beginning. "[b]Then inform your sister. Also I do not approve of your reckless piloting of the colossi, Courage. I expect you to adhere to caution when controlling them as there is still much we do not understand regarding their nature.[/b]" Homura gestured towards the third colossus - the only one with a champion controlling it. She could see Kindness watching them from afar, and hoped that between the three of them, nothing would go awry. Courage and Fear leapt towards their sister, and hastily told her of their task ahead. The gentle champion was happy, and congratulated her two sisters for their efforts in acquiring more work for them. They laughed and spoke for a moment before returning to their respective posts. Afterwards, all three champions were back to directing their colossi and night descended upon them as they finally reached the sea. Homura had not immediately left, and accompanied them farther out to sea where the light of the moon was reflected in its water. Homura gazed upon its marred face in the shifting mirror, then looked up to the bright piece of heaven itself. "[b]I will return when the sun rises. Stay safe until then.[/b]" The goddess announced before she extended Daybringer, the golden spear stretching skyward all the way towards the moon. Homura ascended as the weapon pulled her along its length, and the three champions were left alone to prove themselves. However, the night was young, and none of them could have foreseen what would wait for them in the darkness... [hider=Summary]Homura continues her venture of delivering humans across Galbar; with her are her champions: Courage, Kindness, and Fear. After reaching the end of the wastes created by Yudaiel's murder of Ashevelen, the procession stands before the edge of the forests that were protected by Homura when the aforementioned murder caused a massive calamity. The goddess of honor sought to preserve the woodland realm, and knew that the colossi would only trample the trees and flowers should they continue marching east. She refused to return west after encountering Iqelis, and contemplated how to pass through the forest without causing harm to any life there. Homura chooses to teach her three champions how to dance. Her champions are inadequate dancers, to say the least, and Homura struggles to teach them. Kindness and Fear help each other learn to dance by utilizing each other's style, while Courage runs over to the colossi. Homura is pleased to see two of her champions dancing, and is then surprised that Courage has taught the three colossi to dance as well. They begin a performance consisting of light that weaved itself, and spread out like streams. The light produced music, and Homura began to sing and dance. Kindness and Fear followed after her, and then Courage joined in with the three colossi. Time slowed as the song came to an end, and the land beneath the forest and Homura's entourage transformed into a sea of light that swallowed them. They fell through the luminous liquid, and saw visions through the sight of the forest, until they landed where they stood before. Homura announces that they may proceed onward. The procession walks through the forest, and the colossi phase through the flora of the forest. Courage and Fear approach Homura with questions, and learn that they were under the effects of a spell. Fear then asks to be allowed to complete a task without the supervision of the goddess, and Homura permits it. Upon reaching the eastern sea, Homura departs for the moon and leaves her three champions to watch over the sleeping humans until she returns.[/hider] [hider=Vigor]Cycle 1 Homura’s Vigor total: 0. Vigor spent: 0. Remaining Vigor: 0. Courage, Kindness, and Fear gain 2 Spirit.[/hider]