[center][h1][b][i]Reflections[/i][/b][/h1][/center]
[center][h2][i]The Holy Quintet & The Order of the Phoenix[/i][/h2][/center]
[hr]
There was a terrible taste in her mouth as she thought upon the tragedies she had witnessed through her little sister’s memories and the Incantation of Seeing: sights filled with so much violence and death for the sake of greed, or out of feeling threatened which beget greater grief and further despair. Courage contemplated the meaning of the phrase ignorance is bliss, and wondered to herself whether it was bravery or foolishness within her that insisted that bliss and joy could never be found without first attaining enlightenment which required growing beyond ignorance. It was probably foolishness after all, as the brash champion knew that in the end, she was stupid, so stupid.

Courage chuckled as she opened herself to the connection between her sisters once more, and joined in their shared thoughts and memories; their combined minds and characteristics which granted them newfound amplified strength and wisdom. Their bond primarily focused on allowing them to efficiently communicate with each other; being able to sense one another’s emotions and hear their voices reverberate directly inside them where every inflection and sound can be dissected and analyzed. Where other people sought to convey their ideas and intentions through words and gestures with varying degrees of difficulty, often struggling and yet so easily withholding a vast quantity of information that they kept solely to themselves, Courage and her sisters found themselves in a reversal of that situation. It was a considerable amount of effort just to refrain from sending everything through their connection and to maintain their secrets.

Her reticent sister, Kindness, had recently scolded her before she showed her scenes… no perspectives from the frustrating skirmish with the wraiths, and Fear’s escape with Zima. While Courage was distracted with facing two foes as Fear fled, she did not hear the exposed mind of their anxious sister that could not focus on flying away, the strain of maintaining a spell, and preserving the private barrier that concealed her inner thoughts. Kindness had heard such thoughts, and revealed them separately to each of her sisters, Courage being the second to know.

Fear had wanted to be like her and Viho, she aspired to be what she deemed as heroic instead of cowardly, she wanted to be the savior instead of the one being saved, or worse the one instigating the harm. Despite the name and her fate chosen upon her birth by their Maker, Fear continually fumbled and fought to defy her predestined nature of being the one that teaches humanity to be afraid. Courage was born to instill valor in her kin, and she knew the roles her sisters were similarly assigned, but she foolishly remained unaware of how much Fear had despised herself… of how envious she had become of the others… of how desperate she had become to change herself.

Regret could not rewrite the past, and Courage realized that Fear was not the only one that had to atone somehow for their grievous mistakes. Now Kindness chose to dedicate herself to finding and assisting Fear in her exile, which brought a paradoxical surge of comfort and distress to Courage which Kindness had elected to ignore as usual. Courage wanted her impassive sister to at least acknowledge these feelings which revolved around her, but it was incredibly irksome how obstinate her sister could be even when directly confronted. Kindness had even refused to allow her to help, demanding solitude for the time being, which only ushered anger in her.

Now she stood before the smallest among the Holy Quintet currently concentrating on a spell, and hoped that she avoided incurring irritation in either of them. Her clumsy attempt to hide that thought was easily detected by Pride, but both knew that had been her intention anyway. Then there was the swift exchange of a few select memories, and thoughts of greetings, all while Courage avoided the meandering musings regarding the necessity of benign conversation - they often chose to speak aloud, after all.

“I’ve been thinking about the world and all the fighting, ya. I’ve now realized we’re too few to help everyone, and that means we’re going to have to choose who we help, and who we abandon…” Courage began, letting the playful grin she commonly wore shift into a more serious expression.

Through their connection, she could sense Pride divide her consciousness between them… one half still focused upon watching over the nearby lands through her spell, and the other half tapping into her mind and nestling itself there. Perhaps it was more appropriate to say that a piece of Pride’s mind was always within her, and being in the presence of the greater whole resulted in the smaller piece awakening. That smaller piece currently spoke, and Courage wondered whether Pride’s physical body actually articulated the words, or if she was imagining her little sister moving her mouth.

“What will we do if Mother should not return? Half of us have been blinded and tainted, so just leaving Keltra itself becomes an arduous task. You’re right, we’re too few and helpless. Hmm… an excellent evaluation of our circumstances.” Pride replied with a strange melding of calm and derision in her tone - the befuddling outcome of dread fused with the soothing aura of both Charis and the Eternal Fire. The irony of smiling when confronted with despair elicited laughter from Courage which seemed to stir forth only more ire from her little sister.

“You know, I’m something of a genius myself. I’m not too fond of picking and choosing who lives and who dies when I want to save as many people as I can. Can you imagine what it would be like if there were more of us?” Courage cheerfully asked, knowing her cheekiness would provoke Pride and prevent the entirety of her thoughts from being seen too early which would prematurely ruin her fun. It was difficult to conceal her excitement regarding the newly born concept in her mind, but surprising her sisters had become a truly pleasurable experience after the creation of their connection nullified her ability to startle them.

“I don’t think my mind could cope with more of you, dearest Courage. I know you’re trying… gah-” Pride’s words were interrupted by Courage wrapping her arms around the small champion’s head, informing the Courage of two things: first, Pride was indulging in her desire to speak by employing the unnecessary element of enunciating her words, and secondly, hugging her little sister will become twice as wonderful if the plan comes to fruition. “Jeez, you’re so annoying. Wait… Oh, so that’s what you’re thinking, hmm..” Pride mumbled into the fabric of Courage’s chest, trapped in her sister’s embrace.

Courage felt a little miffed that she had let slip her idea before she could tease Pride for longer, but now eagerly seek to gauge the other champion’s response. “Remember what our Maker said; if we want to wake them, we must travel farther along the Sacred Path. Then it occurred to me! We don’t have to wake them all at once!” She pressed on, the elated pitch in her voice resonated with her shared thoughts and only grew when Pride nodded her head in favor of the idea. Courage stepped back, and then leapt with joy, letting the childish euphoria overtake her for a brief moment as so many new possibilities were opened now. Then there was the hum of tremendous power gathering in the air, and the champion that was not blind glanced upward.

Charis the Red Wing Healing the Faithful was covered in the shifting symbols of the Gnosis, calling forth the otherworldly power to cast a spell. There was a bright flash of light accompanied by the sibilant sounds of the Tapestry being twisted and woven into a new design according to the six-winged spirit’s will. The transformation was swift, and in the single blink of an eye, there was a strange and towering woman standing nearby Courage and Pride. Her features suggested the shape of her previous form, as curved horns still grew from her head, and she possessed claws instead of hands. Her silvery hair was long and similarly defied the weight of the world akin to her spiritual form, spreading out from her shoulders and lower back in six sections like her wings. Lastly, her scarlet skin was shielded by small areas filled with scales and spiky protrusions which gave her a very frightening visage, Courage concluded.

[i]“Even in this shape… you seem so small. Woe to those that cannot reach high, oh woe to those that cannot die…”[/i] Charis chanted in two hundred thousands voices that whispered and wailed, sang and screamed and spoke softly. Even with the appearance of a humanlike creature, Courage felt herself trembling before the one that had been delivered from the afterlife. The spirit had addressed Pride, observing the fact that the Keeper of Keltra was less than half the height of Charis in her humanlike shape.

Courage did not comment upon the seething rage that filled her little sister, and listened as none of that rage manifested in the response that was given. “You’ve successfully casted your spell, so it’s time you quickly remedy your past mistake and cure our blindness. I would like to be able to see again with my own two eyes. Also, with this new form, I’ve come up with a solution to our carrying Charis across the Galbar problem.” Pride pointed to the nearby Skydancer with her small scepter and smiled slightly. “With added spiritual power, Skydancer can lift Charis in her new form, and she can travel that way should we lack the assistance of the Divine.”

[i]“Was it not a god whom gifted you such a vessel?”[/i] Charis inquired, peering at Pride with white burning eyes, the radiance of her otherworldly aura only just contained within her much reduced size. It was becoming a strange state of being for Courage, as she repeatedly switched from reading the thoughts and feelings of her sisters to reading the expressions and tones of others during conversations.

Pride merely sighed at the question, and closed her eyes. “Shouldn’t you be thinking of ways to cure our blindness rather than the semantics of what I say?” Yet her words only evoked a euphony of laughter, as the spirit clad in a humanlike skin gracefully bowed.

Courage blinked, lost in the sudden musical manifestation of merriment, and wondered whether waking a few of those that slept would warrant a ritual. Pride then interrupted her thoughts; “Listen, I’m not participating in your idea, I just won’t get in your way. Besides, we need to further enchant Skydancer, and that means gathering spirit.”

Her words immediately lessened a little of Courage’s enthusiasm, as after Lorelei’s departure there had been a significant decrease in little sisters in Keltra which was not good for morale among the Holy Quintet. Courage could feel Pride prepare herself, mentally poised to strike down any rebuttal she might use, and the brash champion was well aware that she didn’t stand much of a chance in a logical spar against her little sister. Emotional appeals were likely not an option either considering how adamant Pride seemed. Courage considered cuddling with her, not because such could change the mind of the Keeper of Keltra, but because she believed the physical interaction would convey both her affection and disappointment in the most poignant way.

“Come near, and I will bury you in stone…” Pride muttered, having easily read the thoughts before Courage had the chance to act upon them.

She snapped her fingers, the metallic fingers of her golden gauntlet defying the fact that skin friction was required to create that specific response and sound, before she stepped back with dramatic dejection. She concealed her hopes that Pride would come around and choose to awaken more of their kin with her at a later time, and began focusing on the task at hand. She approached one of the dormant vessels, its pale and featureless face staring blankly upwards at the ceiling, and felt a hint of hesitation seep into her as she stood beside the slumbering being.

“What’re you doing, Courage?” An inquisitive voice asked.

Courage was surprised by the unexpected and close presence of both Curiosity and Wanderer waiting behind her, the former cradling Rowan in her arms. After a nervous chuckle prior to recovering from her contemplative trance, she swiftly shared her previous thoughts and the short discussion with Pride so that the sneaky duo were informed. The hesitation had become anxiety, and for once, Courage was uncertain whether she should continue with her plan. It was an unwelcome feeling, and reminded her of the internal struggles Fear faced often. However, Curiosity’s gleeful reaction when told the idea managed to alleviate some of her concerns.

“Let’s do this!” Curiosity exclaimed, as she shifted the scarlet stone through her connection to Pride wielding the golden scepter, and gently placed Rowan within an intricate translucent bassinet, filled with soft cushioning conjured by Wanderer.

The silent champion turned her gaze to Courage, and sent a myriad of mental messages through their bond; mostly mentioning the potential danger to both themselves and their sleeping kin, should the spell go awry. More and more warnings of possible hazards and risks were brought forth by Wanderer until Courage felt herself crushed beneath the pressure of an impending hypothetical disaster causing her to sway upon unsteady feet. Wanderer exuded an aura of foretold doom, visibly shrouded in menacing shadows and ominous whispers, or so Courage imagined before her mute sister suddenly shrugged with a small smile.

Bemusement could be a pleasant phenomenon, as Courage was most bemused, indeed most bewildered by these turn of events - Wanderer teasing her instead! Well without further digression and with the advocacy of her two sisters, it was time to awaken those that awaited their sacred touch. Each of the champions possessed memories of their own creation, and were familiar with the acts involved, but there was a mighty difference between the fragment of divine power they wielded, and the profuse power which their Maker held. Surprisingly, the primary difference in this scenario was the just comparison between their innate knowledge of the Gnosis.

The shifting symbols manifested on their skin, and the three sorcerers each stood over a single selected body while silently chanting their spells. Glowing spiritual particles began to leak from their mouths, coalescing into a crimson liquid-like substance that rippled and flowed above the prone vessels before slowly descending onto them. The pale bodies became stained with this ethereal blood, suffusing their form and spreading across the entirety of their shapes. There was a pulse of otherworldly power along with a bright flare of light before the transformation was complete.

The chosen vessels had been changed, and laying on the floor before the trio of champions were three replicas of the champions when they themselves had been created. Three more simulacrums of Homura slowly arose, and then peered at the ones that had awakened them with eerily recognizable expressions to those that beheld them. Courage pointed at her clone, noticeably the most different from herself considering the lack of her golden gauntlet on one hand and the longer hair, but was surprised to find her doppelgänger perfectly synchronized and imitated her every movement.

“You’re me!” They both said simultaneously.

“Did we do something wrong?” Curiosity asked, carefully observing the one she had animated who also reflected her own demeanor. Her newest twin did not repeat her question, but was evidently equally confused by the situation. Chaos temporarily reigned when the newly born copies introduced themselves in a failed attempt to organize what was happening, and Courage could only chuckle as she watched the performance:
“I’m Courage, ya, and these are my sisters; Curiosity and Wanderer! But… we were just awakened, and you three are obviously the older iterations of us… so we’re your Reflections. At least, that’s what my memories are telling me. We’re also lacking a connection with each other…” The clone of Courage said, gesturing to herself and then to the two clones close to her. The three seemed to hesitate now, slowly practicing their own acts of volition as the divisions between themselves and their models grew.

The Reflections of Courage, Curiosity, and Wanderer, all possessed the memories, knowledge, and inclinations of the originals, but lacked their gifts and bindings which resulted in this dissonance between the two groups. Courage was mostly certain that once the Reflections were included in the bond of the Holy Quintet, this dilemma would be remedied. However, for the time being she focused more on what to call the Reflections as sharing the same name could become an issue. Her thoughts were interrupted by her clone announcing that in order to distinguish themselves from the older iterations, they would refer to themselves as the second generation.

Courage II playfully grinned, while Curiosity II voiced her agreement and Wanderer II nodded. Since they seemed content, and Courage sensed that her other sisters also accepted this solution, they could begin planning the next course of action: arranging a system to fully utilize the benefits of a larger population. Before she could comment further, Kindness approached their party and came to a halt as she examined each of them. “Incredible…” She murmured.

“Hey, Kindness!” Courage II and Curiosity II chimed, as Wanderer II waved. It was like looking in a mirror, and yet these Reflections could speak and act independently.

Courage quickly showed Kindness her thoughts and memories, emphasizing the objectives and the next step in this project. She was glad that Kindness immediately responded with approval, and hoped she would receive future praise for her efforts and results from the reserved champion who spoke to the collective: “Hmm… I shall create a Reflection for myself, and then we can perform a ritual to integrate all of them into our bond. Afterwards, we can begin our various quests of helping the world and its peoples. We will transition from the prologue into chapter one soon…”

[hider=Summary]Courage contemplates the her current situation and the state of the world, then pesters Pride before Charis suddenly shapeshifts and it becomes possible for the Phoenix to enter a small dwelling.

Courage comes up with an idea, and is joined by Curiosity and Wanderer in enacting this idea.

Courage, Curiosity, and Wanderer interact with their Reflections, until Kindness shows up and participates in Keltra’s newest class project.[/hider]
[hider=Spirit]Courage gains 3 Spirit. (+1 minimum, +1 main character, +1 medium)

Kindness, Curiosity, Wanderer, Pride, and Charis gain 2 Spirit. (+1 minimum, +1 medium)

Courage II, Curiosity II, and Wanderer II gain 1 Spirit. (+1 minimum)

Courage spends 12 Spirit to create her Champion - Courage II.

Curiosity spends 12 Spirit to create her Champion - Curiosity II.

Wanderer spends 12 Spirit to create her Champion - Wanderer II.

Charis spends 8 Spirit to teach herself Shapeshifting - Humanoids.[/hider]
[hider=Prestige]The Holy Quintet gains 1 Prestige.

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