[center][h1][i]Cycle VI[/i][/h1][/center]
[center][h3][i]Change & Reconstruction[/i][/h3][/center]
[hr]
Within the Divine Palace, a brief battle had raged fiercely through the opulent halls wherein the Protector of the Vestibule, Tlanextic, fought with immense strength and magic to hinder the passage of the crimson-veiled goddess, Homura, for she trespassed now in this sacred realm. There were no proper summons, no announcements, no warning at all of her sudden arrival and a proclamation that she would see His Imperial Majesty at once, however her intrusion would have to be addressed first before any meeting with the Monarch of all could be arranged, so the brightly burning Tlanextic barred her passage and requested an immediate explanation. Swiftly words between them had shifted to combat, and Homura continued her disruption of peace in the heavenly palace as she began to besiege the home of the Monarch.

Though the great Head of the Palace Guard was mighty, having slain terrible demons and created the most powerful empire of mortals found on the Galbar, his attacks and spells did no harm to Homura who loudly called out to the Monarch of All, demanding an audience. She simply strode forth through the waves of magical energy which dispersed all around her, and she deftly deflected all of his strikes with a single hand, pushing him away with ease. Their conflict had reached deeper into the halls of the palace, steadily approaching the throne room where the Monarch of All could be found, and then Homura altered her aggression towards Tlanextic, engaging him directly.

She carried no weapons or artifacts with her, and her visage remained concealed behind her shroud, but she shone with a haunting aura that felt akin to the foul presence of the fiends Tlanextic had fought when he was alive, and the pressure of that aura pushed him like the weight of world itself. He had vanquished such vile foes before, so he would do so again. The immortal warrior-king surged forward once more, like a miniature sun unleashing effulgent and righteous retribution, ready to strike with all of his gathered divine might and fury, but before his blow could land upon her, his form; the shape of his soul, what remnants of his existence had vanished, and then Tlanextic was no more. Afterwards, Homura turned her attention back to the colossal door which would lead into the throne room, where the Monarch of All would await her.

Having been spending some time idle in the palace, Ruina was able to sense the newly arrived presence of Homura easily, and Homura could likely sense her as well. This did not matter, at least not immediately, until Homura entered into a one-sided combat with one of the guardians that had been placed around the palace. This conflict brought many questions to Ruina’s mind. They had never bothered her during her frequent visits to the palace, so why now did one engage Homura? Was it possible that she was now considered a threat to The Monarch of All? To the rest of the divines? Was this another scheme of Iqelis? The two were not on the best of terms as far as Ruina knew, and perhaps Iqelis had spread a rumor that Homura was going to do something? These questions demanded answers, and Ruina would find them.

As Tlanextic was vanquished Homura would feel a presence bring itself behind her. A distinct voice called out towards the goddess of honor with a loaded question. [color=#a6cb99]”I would question what brings one to destroy the guardians of the palace. I have never had one confront me so during my visits so why do they now confront you, Homura? Do you come with fire and war, or is there more at play here?”[/color]

Ruina stepped gently into the hall before the grand door of the throne room, folding her arms across her chest as she waited for an answer. Ruina’s tail flicked idly side to side, providing a more visual indication to her impatience regarding an answer from Homura.

[b][i]“I have always been Fire and War, yet I do not come to bring destruction. It is the Monarch of All whom must answer for His crimes. Indeed, it is for the sake of peace that I march upon the palace now… I have no desire to quarrel with you, sister.”[/i][/b] Homura replied, coming closer to Ruina, with neither hostile intent or friendly warmth - her voice was impassive yet instilled with resonating otherworldly power, and her face remained obscured behind the blood-red veil she wore. At such a close proximity, Ruina could sense that something was missing… Homura no longer carried the shard of Honor, or any shard.

Ruina’s eyes narrowed a bit at the otherworldly power that resonated throughout Homura’s voice. Something was at play, for sure. But this was not Iqelis, not unless things had changed dramatically when she had not been looking. Homura had been in contact with something… Else. And then there was the matter of the new veil that Homura wore, along with the fact that her shard of Honor was now missing. To say that Ruina was concerned was an understatement.

In fact, the feeling that she had now was one that she had only felt once before, in the brief time she had been mangled and left for dead by her sister. A sense of anxiety gripped Ruina, though she hid it well. What had Homura done? What had been done to Homura? Something was wrong… Very wrong.

Ruina’s suit prickled with anticipation as she spoke again, her tail ceasing its impatient swaying and instead bracing itself. Muscles coiled to strike or to defend, whatever was needed. This otherness wasn’t something Ruina found herself fond of. Speaking firmly to assure herself of her prowess, Ruina probed the being before her for answers. [color=#a6cb99]”You call me Sister and take upon the form of Homura, but I sense no shard upon you, and you conceal yourself with this veil of crimson. Who are you? What have you done? Or if it is still truly you, what has been done to you, Homura? And if you truly seek to come in peace, why is it that you are confronted by the guardians here? And along with this, what crimes do you speak of? I have neither witnessed nor heard of any such thing.”[/color]

It took an immense amount of effort for Ruina to not bring forth her blades, but the temptation to arm herself was quite strong. It would at least be reassuring, if not effective.

[b][i]“I have touched upon the truth and uncovered the treachery of our hollow Lord, He who seats Himself upon a throne that does not belong to Him. I am Anath Homura, and I shall bring salvation to the Galbar and its denizens.” Homura proclaimed, gesturing with her arms and hands outstretched. “Would you walk beside me upon the Sacred Path, sister, or must I restrain you as well? Though… it would grieve me, to do so.”[/i][/b] She asked, letting her arms drop back down to her sides.

Ruina’s eyes had relaxed some in the few moments since she had spoken but now, as Homura talked about having touched upon the truth, they hardened once more. Anath Homura? So something had been done… At the mention of being restrained Ruina felt a chord of violence awaken in her soul. Restrain the incarnation of destruction? The one being who could sunder all before her with impunity? That was surely something that would be impossible…

But Ruina’s reason tempered her violence. Homura had been changed, and whatever had been done might be something that even she could not contend with. Not yet, anyway. Perhaps allowing violence to be her answer would not be wise, but still something tugged at her mind. Why the deception of this veil? Ruina pressed for an answer. [color=#a6cb99]”It is within my instincts to resist and bite back at the idea of being restrained, but my reason tells me that even though I can sunder any and all before me with impunity that whatever has been done to you would grant you some form of advantage against even my capabilities. Very well, I will walk with you to hear your arguments, but I would pose a question that demands an answer: Why this veil? What secrets does your form now hold? If you wish for me to believe your so-called truths then I would know what has been done to render you this way.”[/color]

[b][i]“Hmm… I apologize, this veil conceals my presence from the gaze of our empty Lord. It is necessary in order to approach Him. Know that I have spoken with our Lord’s Elder Brother, and I witnessed the truth with my own eyes, felt it in my own heart. The Galbar will face annihilation if the Monarch’s reign does not come to an end. There is much that must be done, and little time, for our enemies would encroach upon us even now. I would like to believe that there are a few among my kin that would stand with me against this threat.”[/i][/b] Homura answered, stepping closer and closer to Ruina without halting. The veiled goddess made no move to defend herself, merely striding forward either into her sister or around her - it seemed the choice belonged to Ruina.

As Homura explained what had happened, Ruina’s mind churned as she considered what was being said. Perhaps there was something to what Homura was saying? At the very least, if there was to be a threat to Galbar she wanted to be ready to defend it. Resigning herself to listen and observe what happened within the throne room, Ruina nodded.

But as Homura made to walk past her, Ruina brought a hand to rest firmly upon the goddesses shoulder. Kneeling down so that she was at a closer level to Homura, Ruina spoke firmly. [color=#a6cb99]”I will hear this out for the sake of being able to rise in defense of Galbar, for there can be no tests if there is nothing [i]to[/i] test. But I ask of you an oath bound by blood.”[/color]

Ruina would hold up her left hand, palm up, and willed a small spike to grow within the middle of her palm. It wouldn’t be more than a minor flesh wound, but blood would be drawn regardless, and that would be enough. [color=#a6cb99]”If what you say is true, and He has been deceiving us all, I will stand aside and allow you to do as you must… But no deception. No misguidance. The truth, at least to me, from now on. Do you agree?”[/color]

Homura placed her hand upon the spike, and Ruina could see that the appendage was already wrapped in bloodstained ribbons, as the small spike pierced Homura’s palm and soaked itself in divine ichor. [b][i]“I agree, and so bind myself to this oath by blood, I will not deceive you.”[/i][/b]

As the handshake occured, Ruina could not help but notice the bandages covering Homura’s hands. What had been done? Many questions rolled in her mind, but the answers would not be gained here. They lay inward, and so Ruina rose to her feet, stepping behind Homura and waiting to see what happened within the throne room.

[center]—[/center]

The monolithic doors opened to reveal the resplendent glory of the throne room wherein the Monarch of All rested upon His throne, watching as Homura entered, followed by Ruina. A myriad of colors emanated from the great crystalline wound from which the dazzling shards all coalesced and gathered in, providing a prismatic source of light that illuminated the entirety of their surroundings, yet their rainbow radiance was dwarfed by the blank canvas that was the Monarch’s face, desolate aside from two glowing orbs that peered at the two goddess which seemed diminutive in comparison.

[b][i]“You once asked me if I understood that some mortals would wish to cast themselves away from your gaze forever, to live in the dark wallowing in their own desires. I believed it was malicious machinations from an external evil, but I was wrong. I thought the beauty of light and all life came from you, my Maker, but I was wrong. I thought that you would give us purpose, and that we could be united by such purpose, but I was wrong. You have misled us, Throne-Thief and Usurper, and you have allowed us to succumb to despair! Let there be no more lies! Speak now and know that you are being judged.”[/i][/b] Homura announced, shedding her veil and revealing herself.

Her appearance had changed very little, only one eye had altered its color; becoming entirely black like an obsidian embedded where her eye had been. It was what she carried with her that caused the Monarch of All to exude an aura of anger far greater than what any among the Divine had seen before. Homura possessed the shards of Honor, Earth, Crafting, and the Soul, and all four shards had been influenced by some otherworldly power that had tainted them. The red goddess also wielded four potent artifacts held in ethereal limbs that sprouted from her back: Daybringer; her familiar golden spear, a hefty steel sword with a ruby set in the blade, an ornate shield of silver and sapphire, and a burning brazier in which a miniscule six-winged creature dwelt.

[b]“So you have betrayed me… Homura.”[/b] The Monarch said, His deep and echoing voice stirring the entirety of the celestial palace as though waking it from a slumber. The gargantuan form of the Monarch of All arose from His seat, but before He could speak further or act, Homura thrust out with Daybringer and the golden spear extended forth and flew around the vast perimeter of the throne room, the length of the weapon alit with radiant flames and transforming into chains that completely enclosed the hall and prevented any attempts at escape. [b]“And you dare to defy me! To judge me! To insult me!”[/b] The Lord of Creation shouted, creating fissures in the floor beneath their feet and across the walls around them with His thunderous voice. The Monarch of All stood enraged, yet He did not attack.

[b][i]“You imprisoned your brother after you betrayed Him! You stole all of His shards, and claimed lordship over Creation with devilish deceit, and arranged alliances with the perverse and profane! What were you promised in exchange? How much time were you given to stroke your ego and call yourself the Emperor of Reality before the inevitable demise of everything in this world comes for us? It sickens me; you whom would be our executioner for the sake of your own vanity!”[/i][/b] Homura rebuked, her whole body becoming engulfed in flames as her true form began to free itself from her material vessel and she became a colossal fire burning before the Monarch of All, thousands of spears rising from the depths of her spirit and poised to strike.

The Monarch of All did not cower, and rather turned His attention to the goddess in the back. [b]“Ruina, see how my slanderous servant has deluded herself and now attempts to pathetically intimidate me, I ask that you dispose of her now. Destroy her, and end this farce.”[/b] His request, no, His command reached Ruina over the cacophony of the roaring, hissing, cackling fire that was Anath Homura - He spoke firm and calmly with complete clarity, serene and imbued with regal authority - unbothered by his predicament. To handle such an irksome hassle was beneath Him, delegating the duty to the Goddess of Destruction instead.

As she was addressed, Ruina remained silent. Once again she was being put to the test, and what a test it was. Loyalty or Truth? But what if the truth was a lie? What if her loyalty was a lie? What if everything was true? What if nothing was? Was she just being used as a pawn? Ruina clenched her fists in frustration. There was no way to know what was true or what was false among the many layers that were present here.

Ruina’s base instincts wanted to erupt. To look at the chessboard with disdain and disgust before smashing it all to bits. Then the game would be over, and no one would ever attempt to use her as a pawn again. But her rationality disagreed. These things that Homura spoke of surely had to come from somewhere? Why spend so much time weaving a story of brothers and betrayal for a simple coup attempt?

And further than that, if Homura was indeed lying, how would she have gained the otherworldly power she possessed? Did that itself not come from somewhere? There were so many things that demanded answers… And only one who could give them. Finally, Ruina spoke. [color=#a6cb99]”There are many things that I do not know, and for each of these things an answer is demanded. What is this brother that is spoken of? What is this inevitable demise? Where would Homura have gone to acquire this power she now has? What secrets [i]have[/i] you kept? I have a blood oath from Homura that there will be no deception placed upon me, but from you I do not have the same. I want truth and answers, only then will my loyalty be truly found.”[/color]

Ruina affixed her gaze to The Monarch, waiting to see what would come from her demand. As she waited, she summoned her power. It was nothing in the face of The Monarch, but Ruina would choose to be defiant nonetheless. Still, it was an impressive amount she was able to muster. It had been so long since she had expended effort that her reserves of divine vigor were some of the largest among the deities. Large enough that perhaps even The Monarch might be given pause in the face of Ruina’s willingness to shatter the fabric of reality in defiance of her own demise, should it come to that.

[b]“I find your lack of faith… disturbing, little destroyer. I expected more from you. This doubt you possess displeases me, as I expected everlasting loyalty when you said you would do your best to satisfy my desires, my will, my decree. Aid me now, and you will receive the answers you seek. Fail me, and I shall take back all that I have given you.”[/b] The Monarch of All said, clasping all four his hands before him, and watching with His keen gaze that bore intensely into the Goddess of Destruction. Though he concealed his wrath with his controlled voice and stoic stance, the air simmered hot with cosmic rage, threatening to set everything all around aflame.

[b][i]“Sister… We may not have much time left. If we do not strike now, He will only gain more power to defend Himself, and neither of us may survive the aftermath. I can seal him now, and we can question Him later.”[/i][/b] Homura forewarned, a hint of impatience and apprehension in her voice as the colossal flame flickered back and forth while the four artifacts and multitude of serpentine spears levitated anxiously awaiting whatever would come next. Her words evoked a pulse of otherworldly power from the Monarch as He began channeling the strength of the shards within Him. Slowly the crystallizations of different aspects drifted out from the great wound, humming and quivering as they arranged themselves into an intricate formation before the Monarch.

Ruina was silent once more as her loyalty was pressured. Raising a hand, she held aloft an orb of raw destruction to gaze into its deep red core. For a few moments Ruina was still, seemingly entranced by the core of her orb. In truth, she thought to herself that something was wrong. If The Monarch could explain everything with Homura gone, why could He not explain everything with Homura present? What if the explanation caused Homura to stop her efforts altogether? What if he explained that Homura was correct? Why then would he only explain once Homura was destroyed?

The Monarch’s lack of an answer was more telling than any answer he could’ve given. Ruina focused now, using her seeming trance as a front, and easily found the stream of power that was flowing into The Monarch. It was a beautiful river of pure energy. There was so much that Ruina could do if she possessed even a faction of it… But what she could do now was disrupt it.

Viewing the river of power flowing into The Monarch through her orb, Ruina gripped it with a shocking intensity, and The Monarch would feel this river of power shatter like glass. This would only ever be a temporary disruption, but still. Ruina had managed to give Homura a moment, and perhaps that would be all she needed.

The effects of such an expense were felt by more than just The Monarch. Red lightning crackled across the surface of Ruina’s suit, and the floor beneath her feet cracked as the wave of energy reached it, kicking up a notable cloud of dust and pebbles as a gust of wind blew outward from Ruina.

Shouting, Ruina informed Homura of what she had done. [color=#a6cb99]”Homura! Go! I have stopped his flow of power, even if only for a moment! Seize this chance!”[/color]

Releasing the broken orb of destruction from her hand, Ruina allowed it to crumble into dust. Taking another moment, she removed the artifact that The Monarch had given her so long ago. The circlet of vision was useful for observing Galbar but for now she had no need of it, and it provided too useful a vector for The Monarch to latch onto her. Thus, it was tossed aside, clattering to the floor without much fanfare.

[b]“You shall suffer the consequences of your betrayal!”[/b] The Monarch of All began, attempting to regain his strength, severely weakened after such a devastating attack to the power he wielded.

There had been no elaboration to how Homura would seal the Monarch, only her prior words which conveyed the urgency at that time, but now the red goddess acted upon Ruina’s shout, as she surged forward with the large sword thrusting it into the Monarch’s chest beside the wound containing all of the shimmering shards. He had been weakened and vulnerable, and dealt a fatal blow which caused Him to stagger backwards like a toppled mountain. All of the dancing inferno that was Homura crashed into Him as well, leaving lingering burns across His body and trails a fire that formed patterns like glyphs upon His shape. The immense sword remained left in His torn torso while Homura herself retreated and reformed into her mortal visage beside Ruina with a pensive look.

[b][i]“I have not slain our heartless Lord, for I am still loyal to Him in the end. He is now trapped here, incapable of harnessing His power or leaving this place lest He succumb to His injuries and perishes. I am also grateful for your aid, sister, as we were able to preserve the palace, mostly.”[/i][/b] Homura explained, recalling Daybringer into its standard small spear shape which she held in one hand, while another held onto the ornate silver shield. A combination of relief and fatigue was visible in her scarlet eyes as she looked at Ruina, as though ascertaining how to further explain what comes next in a concise manner. [b][i]“We can consider this a victory, yet as I have said before, there remains much to do if we are to prevent the annihilation of the Galbar. The war has only begun, and we must unite our Lord and His brother before the end, if we wish to win. I have further need of you, Ruina. Will you continue your role as She Whom Tests, for we must become stronger in order to survive the coming season of strife.”[/i][/b]

Ruina stood silently for a moment before nodding and answering. [color=#a6cb99]”I am, and will always be, She Who Tests and The Lady of Pain. I will lend my aid as I am required.”[/color]

Ruina took a moment to move over to where the circlet she had discarded had fallen, and moved to pick it back up. Though just before her fingers made contact there was a moment of hesitation. Perhaps caution should be observed? Ruina used a minor speck of power to hoist it and have the circlet hover nearby. Perhaps later it would adorn her head again, but for right now it would remain separate from her.

Returning to Homura, Ruina posed another question. [color=#a6cb99]”Though I wish for an explanation: Why has your form been scarred so? Your eye is gone, and your arms are bandaged. Do you need time to heal? Or is this just how you are now? And where did you get all of the shards from? Have our other brothers and sisters been slain in secrecy?”[/color]

Folding her arms, Ruina waited to see what Homura would say. In truth, this itself was a test: Would Homura remember the oath made just moments before, or would she prove that such an oath was only made to gain Ruina’s trust?

[b][i]“I have been afflicted with an ailment known as the stigma. That is why my body is breaking apart and rusting away even as we speak now. I sacrificed my eye to our Lord’s brother, allowing me to commune with Him and access a fragment of His power. No amount of time shall cure my affliction, and this is how I am now until the symptoms gradually worsen and the stigma kills me. Lastly, I have acquired the shards from her catatonic kin, those whom also suffer from the stigma. You are fortunate you have been spared so far, though that likely originates from your limited interactions with other deities. I have seen it manifest in a myriad of ways though, some more subtle than scars. I digress, we must summon our kin.”[/i][/b] Homura answered in a lengthy explanation, as she removed the ribbons that covered her hands, showing the skin marred by decaying flesh, blackened as though it had been terribly burnt.

Ruina’s eyes widened at the revelation of Homura’s decaying limbs. Frowning, Ruina nodded at the answer before speaking again. [color=#a6cb99]”This curse… I lack the words to express my sympathies and condolences. Given what I can do, I will see if there is a way for me to erase this plague from existence, or at least buy you more time.”[/color]

There was an instinct to place a reassuring hand on Homura, but another instinct blocked her from touching the goddess. Instead she asked another question, thinking back to the handshake that they had shared a few moments ago. [color=#a6cb99]”How does it spread? Just from being in close contact, or is there more?”[/color]

[b][i]“Fortunately, it is not physical contact that seems to spread such an affliction... I am afraid I do not have a complete answer, I only know that the symptoms worsen when we fight among ourselves and alienate each other. It seems despair or ennui is the most common characteristic in those that are afflicted, aside from myself. I suppose we will find out more depending on how many of our kin heed the summons to the palace. When we determine a means of restraining our Lord while we work without leaving Him in His current state, perhaps we could ask Him. I have reason to believe He knows the cause.”[/i][/b] Homura replied, marching towards the colossal form of the Monarch as He struggled just to breathe, still impaled by Homura’s blade.

She stepped over and leapt across the cracks and crevices that had spread throughout the throne room, before she came to halt beside the fallen king. Homura looked over her shoulder and spoke again. [b][i]“Will you remain here and wait with me for the others, or will you begin testing the mortals for the hardships to come?”[/i][/b] She inquired, seeming so small and insignificant before the immobilized Monarch left choking on His blood, yet tapping into His power and already calling forth the energy to make her voice heard across the world, she seemed to cling onto some significant simulacrum of strength.

Ruina’s answer came easily. [color=#a6cb99]”I will wait here with you for the others. The mortals will be tested in time, but I would not want our efforts to be undone if there is trickery at play.”[/color]

Homura nodded, a slight smile appearing for a second on her face, before she closed her one red eye and concentrated on the spell that would send her voice across the cosmos. [b][i]“Gods and goddesses of the Galbar, you are summoned to the divine palace! Come and seek the truth! Come and seek salvation! Soon, fiends will encircle our world, and so we must fight against them! War has arrived and warriors must answer the calling, lest our home be ravaged by evil. The cycle begins anew, so come to the palace to claim your vigor and your strength!”[/i][/b] Her words echoed throughout the threads of reality, heard across all of the Galbar and even the void beyond. She hoped history would remember her words as a defiant rallying cry against annihilation as opposed to the last hopeless cry of one among the inevitably doomed.

[hider=Summary]Homura appears in the divine palace and defeats its guardian, Tlanextic, before pressing onward to the doors before the throne room where she encounters Ruina. Ruina asks why Homura has brought violence to the palace, and Homura explains that the Monarch has been deceiving the rest of the pantheon and He needs to be stopped before the world comes to an end. Ruina makes Homura swear to be honest in a blood-oath, and the two enter the throne room to confront the Monarch of All. 

Homura reveals that she has aligned herself with the Monarch’s elder brother, and Ruina offers her aid in defeating the Monarch of All after His answers regarding the truth do not appease her. Afterwards, Homura binds the fallen Monarch with a spell and Warbreaker, then calls upon the Divine to come to the palace and prepare for a new war. A new cycle begins, and a new system shall rise to replace the old.[/hider]
[hider=Vigor]Ruina starting: 21
Expenditures: 10 - Block TMoA’s power up.
End total: 11.[/hider]