[center][h1][i][b]Wanderer & Keltra[/b][/i][/h1][/center]
[center][h3][i]The Champions of Homura[/i][/h3][/center]
[hr]
Wanderer had now been steering Skydancer for the entirety of the night, swiftly flying through the shrouded skies in a north-westward direction, relying upon the enchanted blue gem in her navel which continually guided her towards home, but that had all changed when an immense pillar of celestial light suddenly burst upwards from the horizon and pierced the sky with its blinding radiance. Then a thunderous roar reached the airborne boat only a brief period after its passengers initially witnessed the manifestation of the pillar, and the power behind that force frightened Wanderer, as the blue gem still urged her towards the source of this light. The temporary tranquility of the flight had been broken, now replaced with inescapable dread.

Wanderer lacked crucial information, and could not come up with any assuring explanations for the otherworldly sight, aloud or in her mind, however she still felt the faint connection she shared with her sisters which offered some small relief. At the moment, she still remained too far to tap into their thoughts and memories, but she knew her induced anxiety came not only from herself; she knew her sisters were apprehensive as well - their stress reached her from afar… What could possibly be the cause of this? She questioned in stressed silence, while praying for the safety of her family.

Skydancer soared with incredible speed; the blessed boat bringing its passengers to their destination with graceful haste. Closer and closer to the luminous pillar, it became evident that it was too dangerous to directly approach where Keltra once stood, but Wanderer refused to retreat just because of the risks, and with a few quiet words, she provided the Recusant that traveled with her the option to disembark farther away from the blazing fortress, if they so desired.

With the last cautious arrangements handled and final preparations readied, Wanderer piloted the boat closer to where the massive pillar of light arose from the red coast like a colossal bonfire suffused with immense sacred power, the mute champion moving towards it at a slow and steady pace since she was forced to shield her eyes, lest she be blinded by the close proximity to the otherworldly light - Except Wanderer did not seek to solely see with her own eyes, and instead sought to connect with her sisters. Her shared senses allowed her to view what lay beyond, utilizing the sight of those that stood within Keltra.

She quickly let out a small sigh of relief upon hearing the voices of her sisters call out to her, beckoning her with gentle words that alleviated many of her concerns, however the lack of one voice among them ushered a newfound dread. Fear did not speak, nor did she feel close, and the only obvious answer was that Fear was not in Keltra anymore... Meanwhile, Courage had invited her inside, insisting she pass through the wall of light which was explained to be harmless from within the still standing fortress, and upon hearing her sister’s request, Wanderer steered Skydancer into the pillar. She noted to herself, so much had changed in the short period she had been away.

Now tentatively hovering above the immense outer wall, those aboard Skydancer found they were no longer assailed with the blinding presence of the celestial light. The transition from the darkness of night to the brightness of day was still weird, but Wanderer realized that the workings of the divine would always be as such. While her eyes adjusted to the new and ethereal surroundings, her mind was flooded with the memories of what her sisters had experienced in her absence: The betrayal of Fear who had freed Zima and fled, the intrusion of those afflicted by the touch of Doom, and the arrival of Charis the spirit that had been the one that created the light. Wanderer quickly processed all of this information with the assistance of her sisters, but the mental and emotional burden was still great, and she felt herself seize up and almost stumble as she continued piloting the boat towards the keep.

Red and white bled together all around, the thousands upon thousands of pale sleeping vessels alongside the glowing lacerations in the air and across the structure in stark contrast to the scarlet stone itself. The illuminated interior was warm and comforting by virtue of the Eternal Fire, combined with a second incredibly pleasant aura that Charis exuded, so Wanderer found herself relaxing as Skydancer alighted in the area where her sisters awaited her. Aside from Courage, her three other sisters seemed to reflect the afflicted state of the fortress, as their eyes burned a searing white color, and their bodies were scarred by the same pale cuts akin to their surroundings. There was some consolation in the fact that these slashes inflicted no pain, and everyone else that was previously shielded by the sea of hands had been protected from the aura of Charis.

“Now we’re all mostly here…” Courage began, looking between the gathering of her sisters, minus Fear. The reluctance to completely share their thoughts with each other was evident; there was still too much grief and regret after everything that had happened, but the most brash among them was persistent in uplifting their spirits. “Hey, we’re closer to healing, and I’m feeling better already, ya… You know you missed out on the fun, Wanderer.” She joked, weaving sweetness into the bitter feeling of defeat with her casual demeanor that helped combat the lingering sorrow in all of them. It was difficult for Wanderer to remain in anguish whenever her sister acted so intentionally blithe.

“You need to amend your understanding of fun, sister.” Kindness remarked, and Wanderer allowed herself to quickly acclimate to the slightly disorientating sensation of her blind sisters utilizing her sight in order to see for themselves, as both Kindness and Curiosity were rather clumsy in their traversal of their shared minds. The former was too prone to cloistering her thoughts which only hindered her mental movements in the end, while the latter was too easily distracted by new information and unable to maintain the correct course when navigating consciousness which resulted in sluggish communication and organization.

“I refuse!” Courage countered with a teasing grin in response to her sister’s words, which elicited an annoyed sigh from Kindness and Pride that was such a common sight to the mute champion, as Curiosity simply directed a small smile towards her while cradling Rowan in her arms. Wanderer merely shrugged, allowing herself to fulfill the familiar role in their little performance, but she wished that there wasn’t one missing member of their troupe. She was uncertain about the outcome of any interaction with her family when an integral part of the picture had been removed without warning. 

“Let’s get to at least figuring out a plan now, and properly updating our sister on the situation.” Pride interjected, her more childish voice which differed from the rest of her sisters somehow managing to command their attention with ease, and it reminded Wanderer of how truly divergent the smallest champion among them was.

Wanderer felt a paradoxical feeling of anxiety and adoration around her little sister - a feeling she had felt before when she was preparing to depart upon Skydancer with the Recusant. Pride had almost completely immersed herself in the Incantation of Seeing; swimming deeper and deeper into the sea of information as she explored the tapestry through empowered sacred sight. It was actually dangerous for her, and Wanderer was fairly certain that Pride was acutely aware of the potential consequences of acquiring too much knowledge prematurely. Yet her little sister had ventured regardless.

Pride kept her thoughts and memories well hidden and secured, only sharing what she deemed worth sharing, and even that fraction of her mind gifted to her sisters was often overwhelming. Wanderer was repeatedly forced to contemplate what the anointed Keeper of Keltra had become because of her journey across the weave, and wished the concerns she held would wash away, restored to the way it was before. She wished Pride could be more open like the rest of her sisters at least, especially since despite Pride’s ancient mind being alien to those around her, the soft and cute appearance of her sister constantly compelled Wanderer to attempt to cuddle her.

An extra layer of frustration came from the fact that none of them had bothered to address this issue in her absence, even though Wanderer discerned that the majority of her sisters were not content with this dynamic. Even now, with her musings available for all of them to examine, it did not provoke a response or any rise to action. What a weird predicament… Hence the mute champion diverting her gaze towards the colossal spirit in the hall that was currently watching them with eyes larger than all five champions combined.

“This is Charis the Red Wing Healing the Faithful. She was summoned by Mother in answer to our prayers, and has promised to protect Keltra.” Pride explained, fortunately discussing the very thing that Wanderer had chosen to focus on. “She is an Umati; a spirit created by combining the essence of life and death - a fusion of the two hundred thousand souls that were lost during the Calamity, and the bird egg that hatched during Zima’s escape. She is also bound here by the nature of her existence.”

On a nearby table where a sheathed dagger, a wooden staff, and a dark orb all rested upon red cushions or were held in a golden cup, between them were the broken pieces of what was once a large egg. Tuku’s gift to Pride had finally freed itself and became the Phoenix that looked down on them from above. The spirit spoke then, and she spoke with a myriad of voices all at once, yet there was clarity and beauty in the way she shaped words and articulated them. [i]“It is a pleasure to meet you, Wanderer. It is true, Keltra serves as my locus, and I cannot leave unless accompanied by a deity.”[/i]

“She’s also a nice spirit! She helped us find Pride’s scepter, and banished the ones that wanted to hurt us!” Curiosity added, which caused the massive six-winged spirit to hum with appreciation. Wanderer had been informed of the bond between Charis and her three blind sisters through their shared memories, and awe continued to touch against her like a rush of unexpected wind, while Curiosity giggled and blissfully swayed with Rowan. The egg becoming such a weird creature, and the offhanded mention of two hundred thousand deaths during the calamity she had just learned about would have been enough for Wanderer to lose herself in isolated contemplation.

Wanderer gave a nod, outwardly satisfied with this aspect of the situation, as the Eternal Fire brought feelings of peace and solace, and Charis seemed to serve as an amplifier for its powers. She mentally shrugged, or at least the equivalent of such a gesture, and mostly to herself, when Courage contemplated whether they could face their Maker as equals in a fight now. Dwelling upon that old encounter only tired the mute champion, and reminded her that patience was required now, as the next step upon the Sacred Path called upon the return of their Maker. Despite the presence of both the Eternal Fire and the Phoenix, Courage, Kindness, and Curiosity were still poisoned by their consumption of the corrupted other, and this taint greatly weakened all of them.

“We’ve made mistakes, but we’ve decided to keep trying. We’ve gained more strength, and can help others like you. Charis has given us this strength; our Mother sent her to us.” Curiosity crooned to Rowan, to herself, and to her sisters, as she seated herself upon her white owl plushie. The inquisitive champion was always happy with her exuberant imagination and daydreams, which would sometimes irk Wanderer whenever she was invited to join in the frivolous fantasies, but invoked a sweet and soothing calm now.

“I’ve had time to think, and I realize that I’m mad at Fear… but I can’t just blame her, ya. I need to understand my own failings too. I need to challenge myself in new ways to find my true potential, and I think that’s what our foolish sister is doing now. She’s still part of the Holy Quintet after all. Hmm… Anyways, I’m going to chat with the Recusant, and figure out what they want.” Courage proclaimed, playfully punching the air a few times and offering one more cheerful grin before she excused herself from the conversation, and so Wanderer wondered whether she would be once again departing on Skydancer soon.

Kindness stepped forward, now beside her and reached out with telepathy, asking Wanderer to follow her. “I require your assistance, sister.” She said aloud in her soft voice, as she strode northward, further into the keep with the certainty that her sister would accompany her. Wanderer walked a short distance behind the reticent champion, observing the irony of the blind individual being the one to lead, as they soon separated themselves from the others and reached the far wall where a few doorways had already reconstructed themselves. Upon reaching their destination, Wanderer realized why they had come this way, and what Kindness was seeking. Strewn on the smooth floor nearby were glittering shards that were left untouched during the prior skirmish.

As Kindness kneeled down to begin collecting the fractured pieces of what was once the upper half of their sister’s head, assisted by the shifting stone that also gathered the scattered shards, Wanderer scrutinized the memories she was provided with upon her return, peering keenly at what Kindness had been experiencing at the time. She saw the discreet moment when her sister dedicated a section of her mind and power to salvaging the abandoned fragments of Fear, and Wanderer silently joined Kindness in picking up the pieces.

“We will find her…” Kindness whispered as she quietly wept, and Wanderer felt her own tears then.

[hider=Summary]-Wanderer makes her way back to Keltra, and sees the aura of Charis during the skirmish with the Eschatli.

-She makes contact with her sisters, and learns about what happened in her absence.

-The Champions of Homura all await the return of their Maker.[/hider]
[hider=Spirit]Wanderer gains 3 Spirit. (+1 minimum, +1 main character, +1 medium)

Courage, Kindness, Curiosity, Pride, and Charis gain 2 Spirit. (+1 minimum, +1 medium)[/hider]
[hider=Prestige]The Holy Quintet gains 1 Prestige.

The Order of the Phoenix gains 1 Prestige.[/hider]