[center][h1]Homura Returns to Keltra[/h1][/center] [hr] She was swift - akin to the dancing stars that would shoot across the night sky, for the golden spear, Daybringer, shone in her hand; its point shimmering with a myriad of prismatic colors, she held an ethereal crown in her other hand, and she flew through the air with mighty leaps and bounds. Homura made haste back to Keltra after standing as a witness and second arbiter to the trials of Ea Nebel, and the almost silent passage of the goddess was marked only by ephemeral scarlet steps and a faint whisper on the wind speaking of a wounded deity as she traveled in solitude. She was far from home, but such a great distance meant little to her, as she crossed the northern regions of the Eidolon Plains quickly, and noted to herself the absence of Apostate in the Garden of Hevel, which led her to believe he would be waiting at Keltra alongside her champions and Lorelei. His alterations and distribution of his humans was also observed, and Homura wondered where she recognized the presence of a second deity’s power… until she recalled its origin. It seemed the God of Hunger had visited somewhere else before arriving at the Mountains of Fortitude. The world continued to change, and there were more and more forces at work that she could not see, filling Homura with a sense of dread she knew she would have to endure until she reached Keltra. The Otherworld hinted at ill omens, tormenting her with vague signs and little information. She needed to seek more knowledge before continuing onward upon the Sacred Path - she needed to prepare herself for the coming calamity, so that she could fulfill her purpose and protect life. She leapt across the southern edges of Kel-Phelena, traveling eastward along the shores of Kel-Mera, letting the song of the forest and sea soothe her troubled mind. Though the water was filled with sorrow after the death of its maker, it had carried on with its purpose and was truly beautiful. Homura had yet to ascertain the cause of death for the deity that shaped the sea, and she knew that she must uncover the secrets there as well, and soon. Too many of the Divine had perished already. The red goddess could now see the citadel of Keltra standing tall beside the coast, the immense fortress shimmering like a blazing ruby beneath the light of the imperious sun. The great wall which stood twice as tall as the colossi used to carry humanity, proved no barrier to Homura as she simply soared across the sky and gently alighted upon the ceiling of the central keep. It was barren and quiet atop the keep, but she could clearly hear the sounds of others from far below. It seemed Keltra had a multitude of visitors, Homura mused, having glanced at the numerous mortals in the empty fields as she flew overhead. Her presence had been announced by the light of Daybringer, and the macabre monument felt itself stir once more as her will suffused it. With a purposeful stride, Homura walked off the edge of the keep and fell to the ground - descending upon the doorway that served as the closest entrance and passage to the Eternal Fire. Immediately she alighted and stood before a man standing tall at the entrance. He wore a blackmetal mask and was gripping the hilt of his sheathed blade — frozen with hesitation. It took the man only a fraction to suddenly relax his sword arm and step out of Homura’s way. Past him, Homura could see more like him, with three in particular sitting in a spot away from the Eternal flame, talking with a hunched over Apostate, his face hidden in the shadows. “[b]It seems you have been quite preoccupied in my absence, brother.[/b]” Homura said, as she approached the God of Defiance, and the interior of the keep became full with Daybringer’s otherworldly luminescence. She observed Pride rise from her seat by the bonfire as well, offering her a little bow before walking towards her, and she could sense the ire hidden behind the courteous mask the small champion wore. Homura simply stepped past Pride - choosing to ignore the Keeper of Keltra and the look of concern she had, and instead moved to stand near Apostate. “[b]Tell me, what have I missed while I was away[/b]?” She asked, as Pride quickly followed after her, and stood behind her much like a nervous child stands behind their mother. “There’s a pain in this world,” Apostate’s voice came softly, the god not looking up from his hunched position. The recusant soldiers sitting with him were staring at the god. “It’s growing.” A groan rumbled from deep inside Apostate’s chest, forcing the god of defiance to shift his weight onto Warbreaker, his hand gripping it tight. Homura gave a nod of agreement, before she pulled Pride out from behind her, and placed a hand on the small champion’s head, letting herself gently ruffle the red and pink hair, as she spoke. “[b]That is why we must stand against it; for if life strays from the Sacred Path, it will find only annihilation. We must bring peace to the world.[/b]” “You don’t know what I’m talking about,” Apostate said. He stood up, using Warbreaker to help him to his feet. He wobbled for a moment before turning to Homura. As the light hit his face, the bandages that covered his eye were glistening with blood, the saturation dripping down to his chin. His one working eye was milky with smoke, wisps of the vapor threading out from the sides. Blackmetal freckled his chin and the cuts on his fingers were open, baring a bright red whenever he squeezed the handle of his weapon. “It’s growing, I feel it — a great pain, a great injustice. I don’t know where it is yet, but I feel it.” Apostate lurched forward in agony, only to retch for a moment. “It’s horrible. I feel their pain.” Homura seemed to hesitate, peering at her own hands, before she stepped forward and placed her hand on his shoulder. “[b]You are being overwhelmed by this connection. You must not let your strength wane, lest this stigma defeat you. Find the power to stand now, or rest here while I fight and bring an end to their pain.[/b]” “It is not that I’m losing my strength,” the god of defiance leaned onto his weapon. “I’m losing the will against the fury. I feel it in my gut, the retribution, the fire. It will know where the pain originates, and it will destroy the source…” Apostate hesitated. “But I don’t know what else it might break.” As if on cue, a lick of flame jumped out of Apostate’s smoky eye, only to fizzle away. “This body is being destroyed, I need to find the source before it is.” He closed his eyes as his chest rumbled. “It’s not exactly in this world, but it is the machination of a god, I can feel that much. What have the gods done?” Homura put her palm upon his chest, and shook her head. “[b]We are not strong enough to face those that dwell in the Otherworld. Please, you must find the strength to resist this torture. You must have faith that we will free ourselves from this prison.[/b]” “Torture.” Apostate’s eye widened. “Prison.” A rumble. “Otherworld.” His eye flickered around as if he was reading something. “I need to go think on this.” Stepping back, he let Homura’s hand fall from him. “Prison… torture…” He muttered to himself before turning around. Homura’s gaze followed him, sorrow shimmering in her scarlet eyes. “I need you, brother. Please do not leave me.” “If I leave, I’ll be back,” Apostate said simply, stopping in his steps. “What do you need from me?” She stared at him, and sighed. “[b]A promise that you will return is enough. I… you can call upon me whenever. Do not concern yourself if you think calling me will interrupt or disrupt my goals, as I am always willing to answer and come. You are my brother, no matter what.[/b]” Apostate turned to look at Homura. He furrowed his brow. “Then know me by my name, Hevel. I’ll return, you know I will. But first I must untangle this pain, for the good of everything involved. I cannot allow it to grow.” Homura turned her attention to Pride. “[b]Your orders are the same, do you have any objections?[/b]” Pride answered by shaking her head, but the red goddess could hear the unspoken words the small champion wished to speak. It was a shame there seemed so little time for such things. Standing there, holding tightly the golden spear in her grasp, Homura looked back at Apostate. “[b]I would come with you then. We fight together, remember.[/b]” “It won’t be safe for you,” Apostate’s frown deepened. “There is no telling where the pain will lead me, what I will find or what I must do to end it. I may have to come in contact with the things that eat away at you.” “[b]I am not afraid. To let you go alone, would be to forsake my aspect. Honor demands I stand by your side, through whatever trials and tribulations we may face.[/b]” Homura replied, striding forward to a halt a single step away from him. “Then I won’t stop you,” Apostate was still frowning, but there was a look of respect in his milky eye. “Though you may want to spend a day here beforehand — you have your own business to attend to here first, and a daughter to catch up with.” She tilted her head with bemusement, glancing back towards the mortals in the vast hall. “[b]Can you wait that long though? With enough time, I could gather more allies; Voi, Voligan, Zenia, Chailiss, perhaps even Yudaiel and Tuku… We could mitigate the risks and… hmm… there would still be danger, but we could face them together.[/b]” “I will move ahead, and you can catch up to me — speak with Pride, then come find me.” Apostate closed his eyes as his chest rumbled again. “[b]So be it. I will be with you soon. Thank you, Hevel.[/b]” The red goddess offered Apostate a small smile before stepping to stand beside Pride, who looked between the two deities. Suddenly, the small champion dashed towards Apostate, and leapt at him. “I won’t say farewell without giving you a hug first.” Pride mumbled, as she clung onto him, her little limbs holding him with a surprising amount of strength. At that exact moment, a familiar voice rang out from the entrance. “Hey! Not fair!” Lorelei shouted before pouncing at Apostate and wrapping her arms around him as well as she could. “Also hi Homura!” The girl exclaimed, her voice now muffled as she rubbed her face against Apostate’s leg. Apostate put one hand on top of Lorelei’s head and smiled. “Thank you both, now I’ll be back shortly.” He stepped from their embrace, heading towards the door. He hobbled a slow spin and pointed one last demand at the two. “Get along with the recusants!” Pride and Lorelei waved back, with Lorelei smirking and walking off toward her bedroom and Pride walking back to Homura, peering at the red goddess with a myriad of emotions; the ever conflicting combination of both frustration and relief, but the contradictory feelings were always welcome if it meant spending time with her mother. “I’ve granted them stay here in Keltra. They’re young and reckless, but with well intentions. Also, the others haven’t returned yet, and I couldn’t find them in the North. Also, I’ve performed my first ritual. Also, you’re hurt - what happened?” Pride said, letting loose her feelings and concerns upon Homura. She was answered with another enigmatic look; that look her mother had so often previously provided before, but Pride persisted and was rewarded for her efforts. The red goddess sighed before she replied in her usual intonation. “I must make haste, for time is of the essence of protecting that which I hold dear. I shall have faith that you will be able to manage things here while I am away again. It is likely your sisters have found Chailiss, and that is why they have yet to return. He will look after them.” Homura began stroking Pride’s head once more, as she continued to speak. “[b]You have done well - rituals and incantations go hand in hand, so you will find it easier to articulate your spells in the future. Continue your training, and you will become a very powerful sorcerer soon. Lastly, this wound is inconsequential regarding my health. I will find a way to heal it soon, so rest easy knowing I will recover and return to you. Does that suffice, Pride?[/b]” Pride pouted, before she leaned in and hugged the red goddess. “No, but it’s not like I can stop you from leaving. You and Uncle are really irritating, but I’m certain you both already know that… I’ll patiently await your return, Mother, and then I can tell you what I’ve planned for Keltra, okay?” “[b]I look forward to it. Of course, I will not be leaving without providing you with a reward for your service. Regardless of the distance between us, I will come when you pray for my aid.[/b]” Homura stepped back, and revealed both an ethereal crown and glowing pearlescent stone, both of which levitated over her ribboned palm. With Daybringer in her other hand, she touched the tip of the golden spear with the stone, and began an incantation. Pride felt the power of the Gnosis suffuse the air around her, and saw the otherworldly symbols that flowed freely in the presence of Homura. The small champion was reminded of the difference in their understanding of sorcery, and felt how little her own power truly was. It was a frightening sight that inspired both awe and dread in her. She was not surprised when her mother simply took command of the otherworldly music within the keep, and guided a new melody that accompanied her actions. The red goddess gestured with her legs, tracing runic circles with her feet that hummed and pulsed. Daybringer began to sing, and flew from the grasp of Homura, now dancing gracefully in circles around her - and both goddess and golden spear were exuding an aura of enchantment as they performed, their motions both subtle and pronounced were sacred and harmonious. The levitating crown drifted away from them, but the moonstone was pulled closer, now involved and affected by the divine power gathered by their dance. Scarlet energy manifested, seeping from the wound upon the belly of the goddess, and streaming towards the stone. It collected and coalesced into a shape, and the energy flashed in concert with the crescendo of the music, shining with prismatic radiance until it dimmed and solidified into a golden scepter adorned with the moonstone at its top. As the performance came to a conclusion; Daybringer and the ethereal crown returned to Homura’s hands while the symbols of the Gnosis faded, and the newly forged scepter gently flew towards Pride. “[b]The Scepter of Keltra - it will grant you greater sight, and allow you to protect your family. Follow your orders until I return, and pray that all will be well. That is all I can ask.[/b]” "This location will be secure, Ma'am," Cosi-Dern piped up, "you have the recusant's promise." Homura looked to the others in the vast hall, and held up her hand. “[b]You have all been granted access into the sanctuary of Keltra. Let it be known that this is a place of peace, and there will be no killing permitted here. Aside from that, you are welcome here for now.[/b]” She looked directly at Dern then. “[b]I will be holding you to that promise.[/b]” She turned towards the doorways that led out of the keep, and sighed with forlorn. “[b]Now I must depart, before my brother does something foolish. Farewell…[/b]” Homura said, and afterward she suddenly vanished - and the shadows returned to Keltra, creeping forth from the far corners of the keep. Pride walked towards the doorway, briefly wondering where the two deities were going until she realized that there was little accomplished by idly waiting. She looked at the Scepter of Keltra she held in her hands, and frowned to herself. “That went better than I expected…” Dern stepped to Pride's side and folded his hands behind his back. "Indeed." [hider=Summary]-Homura makes her way back to Keltra. -She reaches the fortress, and finds Apostate. -Apostate has to leave and deal with an issue, but Homura insists upon coming with him. -Pride and Lorelei give Apostate a hug before he goes. -Homura gives Pride a scepter before heading out.[/hider] [hider=Vigor]Cycle 4 Homura’s Vigor total: 10 + 2. -5 to create the Scepter of Keltra: This scepter grants it wielder the ability to command and shape the stone of Keltra, and enhances the knowledge of the Incantation of Seeing. Lastly, the scepter is attuned to Daybringer, allowing the wielder to call out to whomever wields the golden spear, even from a great distance. Vigor spent: 5. Remaining Vigor: 7. Apostate’s Vigor spends 0 Vigor. Apostate has 0 Vigor remaining. Pride gains 3 Spirit. (+1 minimum, +1 collab, +1 medium)[/hider]