Holy High - IC 2 - Open

[Ranoria]

She smiles again at the kiss, "I think I'm better at it...but you got me, good job sweet pea, now take off your shirt."
She smirks up at him, Oh me oh my, you are not getting away with that one my love...


Jawzarr tilts his head a bit, A child's blow, perhaps...but impressive nonetheless. "Violet jumped from Yggdrasil's branches, now I'll give you a good clap, you took a blow I'dve thrown as an infant. Leave before I kill you." He's obviously getting angrier just from talking about it, the veins in his temple throbbing. "I came here to meditate, to find some peace, now leave insect, I haven't tried yet..."

Jawzarr has a pretty high pain tolerance. If he hits Sira again, I can promise it's not going to feel good, because he's pissed now. He was trying to calm himself before that asshole came around lol. So just back away. Not a fight you can win here They.
Well maybe, I don't know what you've got up your sleeve.
So you could win, it's just...Jawzarr can break basically anyone over his knee, and a punch that hurt a dragon...yeee...iz gonna hurt.

"So, you refuse to even acknowledge Violet's existence....... then I show go and tell her in the afterlife how you feel about her".

(OCC: Sira thinks that Jawzarr at this point after hearing that he almost killed the women the loved her, killed Violet and she was already angry to begin with. Jawzarr is really making himself the bad guy here and if he attacks.... then he will know what to feels like to have someone pull your soul from your body. It won't kill them and his soul won't leave his body. And he not even acknowledging what really happened in the fight with Violet and still is making stuff up about it, so who is the prick in this situation?).

His eyes flash with rage, and this time he grabs Sira by the throat until he hears the bones in her neck begin to creak, "I told you what happened at Yggdrasil. That is how she died. Now you have two options here little godling. Either I'm going to squeeze a bit harder and pop off your head, or you're going to leave. I love Violet with all my heart, that I cannot help, but the pain will fade. What do you want me to do, tell you about how she "

He hasn't made anything up...
Remember? Violet came to see him at Yggdrasil, and then jumped off the branches so she could die. I'm not sure what you're implying. You're intentionally antagonizing an already angry and unstable dragon. And what do you mean refuse to acknowledge Violet's existence? He said her name! Are you even reading my posts before responding? DX

She looks up at him during a lapse, "Did you hear that Xavier and Haruka are getting married?" I'd assume he'd have heard about that, I mean, it's his brother and all, but just in case. "Who do you think will be the best man?" She gasps at the fight scene, "That's pretty crazy..."

Raphael blinks and pauses the episode. "Wait... What?"

She looks up, confused, then realizes what he's asking about. "Xavier asked me to tell him where my father was, and he needed some money, turns out that was for a ring, and it was for Haruka! Father was there. Apparently he's paying for the wedding though." She giggles, "He has the money though, he'll be fine."

[Theyra]

"So, you refuse to even acknowledge Violet's existence....... then I show go and tell her in the afterlife how you feel about her".

(OCC: Sira thinks that Jawzarr at this point after hearing that he almost killed the women the loved her, killed Violet and she was already angry to begin with. Jawzarr is really making himself the bad guy here and if he attacks.... then he will know what to feels like to have someone pull your soul from your body. It won't kill them and his soul won't leave his body. And he not even acknowledging what really happened in the fight with Violet and still is making stuff up about it, so who is the prick in this situation?).

His eyes flash with rage, and this time he grabs Sira by the throat until he hears the bones in her neck begin to creak, "I told you what happened at Yggdrasil. That is how she died. Now you have two options here little godling. Either I'm going to squeeze a bit harder and pop off your head, or you're going to leave. I love Violet with all my heart, that I cannot help, but the pain will fade. What do you want me to do, tell you about how she "

He hasn't made anything up...
Remember? Violet came to see him at Yggdrasil, and then jumped off the branches so she could die. I'm not sure what you're implying. You're intentionally antagonizing an already angry and unstable dragon. And what do you mean refuse to acknowledge Violet's existence? He said her name! Are you even reading my posts before responding? DX

Sira teleporst out of his grip and her scythe phases into his body and it latches on to his soul. "Then why would you tried to kill her if you love her? "Mair was trying to protect Violet from you when you tried to kill her and you wouldn't let Mair save her from you". "At least tell me why you would try to kill Violet and Mair would only place her in the healing pool only if she had life-threatening injuries". "Why would you kill the one you love, answer me that."

(OCC: One she was already anger at said dragon when she learn that he hurt Mair and I meant him by not talking about her really, or he's reason for tying to kill her. And I going to stop posting this late was I think it affecting my posting ability.)

[Charlia]

"Probably not. But you'll have to explain how they work first," she said calmly, leaning back and cuddling Kyoko a little closer.

"Go ahead--I'm listening."

Thus he went ahead and explained how it would work. All the different rituals, what they would wear, bridesmaids and groomsmen, the ceremony, and the vows. Being a romantic himself, as he spoke he got a sort of dreamy look in his eyes. He had seen plenty of weddings before. Yet he had never thought he would be part of one. It was still so unreal to him.

Meanwhile, in Raphael's room, Raphael had helped Lux get to his bed, so he could have a soft place to sleep. Once Lux went to sleep, Raphael walked out to go talk to Otohime, and Inari ran in to cuddle with her beloved angel.

He hardly noticed her, as she came in. Nearly on the edge between the human realm and the dreamscape, he merely felt the slight heat of an extra body coming and sleeping next to him. Welcoming it, he shifted into a more comfortable position, putting an arm over her, and went to sleep.

Her eyes widened.

"It all sounds so... complicated. But you'll help me work it out, right?"

I don't even know that many people here...

Who am I supposed to choose for bridesmaids? And a maid of honor?

Actually... I think I've only actually talked to a few people besides Xavier...

Oh, oh, what was that angel girl's name? No, no, she wasn't an angel... Charlotte! That's it! Didn't really seem like the bridesmaid type, though...

This is harder than I thought it'd be.

But that's okay.

It will be more than worth it.

[Luminesa]

Thus he went ahead and explained how it would work. All the different rituals, what they would wear, bridesmaids and groomsmen, the ceremony, and the vows. Being a romantic himself, as he spoke he got a sort of dreamy look in his eyes. He had seen plenty of weddings before. Yet he had never thought he would be part of one. It was still so unreal to him.

Meanwhile, in Raphael's room, Raphael had helped Lux get to his bed, so he could have a soft place to sleep. Once Lux went to sleep, Raphael walked out to go talk to Otohime, and Inari ran in to cuddle with her beloved angel.

He hardly noticed her, as she came in. Nearly on the edge between the human realm and the dreamscape, he merely felt the slight heat of an extra body coming and sleeping next to him. Welcoming it, he shifted into a more comfortable position, putting an arm over her, and went to sleep.

Her eyes widened.

"It all sounds so... complicated. But you'll help me work it out, right?"

I don't even know that many people here...

Who am I supposed to choose for bridesmaids? And a maid of honor?

Actually... I think I've only actually talked to a few people besides Xavier...

Oh, oh, what was that angel girl's name? No, no, she wasn't an angel... Charlotte! That's it! Didn't really seem like the bridesmaid type, though...

This is harder than I thought it'd be.

But that's okay.

It will be more than worth it.

"Are you confused?" he inquired. He took her hands, and gazed at her. "Ah, you don't really know a lot of people here, do you? Well...we'll have to get you acquainted! There's plenty enough good people around here for you to become friends with them! By the time the wedding is done you'll know everybody here," he told her, grinning. After a moment, however, he added, "But...yeah...It doesn't have to be stressful. We're not going to let it get stressful. We're going to have fun with it and get through all the things we need to do. Together."

[Ranoria]

His eyes flash with rage, and this time he grabs Sira by the throat until he hears the bones in her neck begin to creak, "I told you what happened at Yggdrasil. That is how she died. Now you have two options here little godling. Either I'm going to squeeze a bit harder and pop off your head, or you're going to leave. I love Violet with all my heart, that I cannot help, but the pain will fade. What do you want me to do, tell you about how she "

He hasn't made anything up...
Remember? Violet came to see him at Yggdrasil, and then jumped off the branches so she could die. I'm not sure what you're implying. You're intentionally antagonizing an already angry and unstable dragon. And what do you mean refuse to acknowledge Violet's existence? He said her name! Are you even reading my posts before responding? DX

Sira teleporst out of his grip and her scythe phases into his body and it latches on to his soul. "Then why would you tried to kill her if you love her? "Mair was trying to protect Violet from you when you tried to kill her and you wouldn't let Mair save her from you". "At least tell me why you would try to kill Violet and Mair would only place her in the healing pool only if she had life-threatening injuries". "Why would you kill the one you love, answer me that."

(OCC: One she was already anger at said dragon when she learn that he hurt Mair and I meant him by not talking about her really, or he's reason for tying to kill her. And I going to stop posting this late was I think it affecting my posting ability.)

Jawzarr blinks, snarling. That...actually hurts. He growls and brings his forearm down on the weapon, breaking the scythe's pole in two, then blasts Sira back with sunfire before yanking out the scythe, which has pretty much no connection to his soul now that it isn't connected to Sira. He looks at the weapon, then at Sira.
"You'll pay for that little God. If you are so omniscient, you'd know my past and why I did what I did. Never doubt for a second that I loved Violet, but it very much seemed that she was doing exactly what all the others have done, and that is betray me." He roars, the sound scaring off any wildlife within a few miles, and slams his fists together, leaves falling from the trees at the shockwave, "I sincerely hope you have another weapon, because I want some kind of challenge godling!" All the while, the scythe wound starts to mend, but the pain ebbs away too slowly for his liking. I don't like this at all...

Ah, sorry. I thought he meant just talking about Violet, my bad for keeping you up this late...and I just posted because ma german shepherd woke me up with a bunch of slurps.
And Sira shouldn't be hurt too much from the sunfire, I would think. It's the punches and kicks that are going to hurt/

[Charlia]

Her eyes widened.

"It all sounds so... complicated. But you'll help me work it out, right?"

I don't even know that many people here...

Who am I supposed to choose for bridesmaids? And a maid of honor?

Actually... I think I've only actually talked to a few people besides Xavier...

Oh, oh, what was that angel girl's name? No, no, she wasn't an angel... Charlotte! That's it! Didn't really seem like the bridesmaid type, though...

This is harder than I thought it'd be.

But that's okay.

It will be more than worth it.

"Are you confused?" he inquired. He took her hands, and gazed at her. "Ah, you don't really know a lot of people here, do you? Well...we'll have to get you acquainted! There's plenty enough good people around here for you to become friends with them! By the time the wedding is done you'll know everybody here," he told her, grinning. After a moment, however, he added, "But...yeah...It doesn't have to be stressful. We're not going to let it get stressful. We're going to have fun with it and get through all the things we need to do. Together."

She leaned against him, smiling.

"...Together..."

Haruka had never been one for fairy tales. (She preferred ghost stories. Which made sense, considering she was in one.) But if she had, she probably would have compared this moment to a fairy tale.

He's an immortal angel, and I'm a ghost...

Forever...

The word's always seemed so... so daunting. Especially before I found Kyoko. The thought of spending forever separated from my husband, my baby... it was so terrifying.

But I found Kyoko, and now I have Xavier...

And suddenly 'forever' seems like one of the most beautiful words in existence.

[Luminesa]

It started as most of his old familiar nightmares did, in Hell. Only here, he was not being beaten. Now, it was a quiet moment, though an ominous one. Lux walked through the darkness, until he saw a figure that was all too familiar to him. It was Lux himself, younger and far more vulnerable. His bloody, mangled body was tied with rusted chains, sitting against the wall with its head bowed. The pink hair on the figure had turned from a dark-pink to a red-wine color, blending in with some of the blood dripping off his face, of his body, and creating a pool of blood around him.

Yet as the younger Lux lay against the wall, in immense pain, a figure flew in from above, shouting his name.

"Uriel!...Uriel!...Ah!" Raguel, the Archangel of Vengeance. He had been sent by God to go find him, and now he had him. Kneeling in front of him, he saw the awful gashes and marks left by the torture. He shuddered, and looked at Uriel, brushing his hair aside slightly. "...Surely you recognize me, Uriel. It is your brother, Raguel. I have missed you greatly, as has your Heavenly Father. Now let's leave from here," he urged him, quietly.

Lux didn't even respond. He merely sat there, staring at the ground, unresponsive. It was as if he had lost all touch with reality, and that he was now merely waiting to die.

Seeing that he would not respond, Raguel decided to carry the younger Lux from the pits of Hell back to earth. The present-day Lux followed them, uncertain-but-curious about the events unfolding in front of him.

Yet he heard his younger brother say when he landed was not what what he was hoping for. Rather, it chilled Raguel to the bone.

"Uriel, are you alright? Please say something! Let me know you are alright!"

The younger Lux stirred slightly, and then a strange noise came from him. A laugh. Not an innocent, broken laugh like the one he had now, but a deranged one. It started tiny, and then it become a full-on cackle. "I am free, now...You have freed me, brother...I thank you, from the bottom of my heart..." he responded, still looking at the ground, but now smiling ominously. The gentle, timid smile the younger Lux would have had, before the torture had all begun, was now a sadistic, almost lustful expression.

Raguel saw his eyes-full of hatred-and he instantly became alarmed. "Uriel...what did they do to you?!" he demanded, in horror.

He continued to grin. "It was not as horrible as you may think, brother. They have taught me...what I did not see before, in my weakness...in my simplicity of heart...They showed me...what I truly desired...What I have wanted since the beginning of my existence..."

"...And what would that be?" Raguel questioned.

The chains suddenly dropped from Lux's body, as if to reveal his subverted passion. He held out his hand, showing his brother the cuts and bruises, the gashes that had cut-open old scars, the blood falling everywhere around him. "Power, my brother...but not just any power. Power over light and the stars? That is nothing. Merely a sweet nothing. The power I desire is power over creation itself. I shall become a spirit of destruction, destroying and rebuilding everything as I see it must be...And I shall rebuild all of this with blood, dear brother...It will be magnificent. If only I had thought of this plan sooner!"

Raguel held out his sword, seeing this would only escalate into violence, if he didn't act. "Uriel...I do not want to hurt you. Please! This is a wicked path, and we can help you out of it. Please, listen to us!"

Young Lux snickered and suddenly began to turn into a shadow, all while still leering at him. "I am listening...but I hear nothing of value. None of it will be, when I am finished." The shadows consumed him like a fire consuming a piece of wood, except they remained wrapped around his body like a cover. Now, his eyes were a deep, blood-red, as he stared down his brother, his shadow form becoming more powerful and amorphous. "All that shall matter...is that I will turn darkness to light. Wickedness to justice. And chaos...into order..." Then, from the shadow form they came. Twelve long, spindly arms with knives for fingers.

Seeing the abominable sight, the Archangel stepped forward, preparing to attack. "You will not change any of those things! I will not allow it!" he exclaimed. Yet as he shouted, it was obvious what he was thinking about. The things Satan must have done to convince him to think these awful ideas were right...that they were willing throwing everything away for.

Yet as present-day Lux watched, he heard a whisper in his ear. "Do you see what you are? Do you?" After a pause, the scene switched, strangely enough.

A young, beautiful Japanese girl was standing on the balcony of her father's house, dreaming about a wedding. Her long, soft, jet-black hair floated in the wind behind her. Cherry blossom petals floated off the trees and floated in the lake below.

A voice called to the girl. "Hono-chan! Tea is ready!"

"I am coming! Just give me a couple of minutes!" It was Honoko, the first girl Raphael had loved. She was lovely and sweet, almost like a fairy. As the wind blew by, a blossom flew out of the trees and landed in her hands. She looked at it, and the scenic spring blooming around her, and she was enraptured. A gentle, romantic soul.

Then he appeared. The ronin, her murderer shifted out of the shadows toward her, dressed in all-black and holding two swords at his belt. He was exceptionally careful not to make any noise, as he approached her.

Present-day Lux knew exactly what was going to happen. He ran after the ronin to stop him, but then he froze.

Standing next to Honoko was a young man who looked very familiar. He turned to look at her, smiling contently. His soft, short brown hair fluttered in the wind, and his robes ruffled slightly in the wind. Raphael.

"You've never been more lovely than you are tonight, you know that?"
"My dear, you say that all the time!" she answered, teasing.
"I-I know! But it's true! Every time I see you, you become more and more gorgeous."

And the like went on, as the ronin approached. Finally, the last player came into the scene. A shadow wrapped itself around ronin, before landing next to him and taking his humanoid shape. Lux himself.

The present-day Lux gasped. "NO!" he screamed, seeing his demonic-self there.

The demon spoke smoothly. "You wanted her, didn't you, friend? You wanted her and she never paid any attention to you...You fool...It is because she is a princess, and you are not royalty..." he whispered, to the ronin, smiling.

The ronin grit his teeth, hateful toward the Angel next to the girl.

"I love the spring...it's so...mystical, almost..." Honoko whispered to her lover. Her dark eyes were big and bright, full of love and wonder.

After a moment of silence the demon urged ronin, "Go...Kill her...and then you can join her and be equals..."

The fatal scene then unfolded. The ronin rushing to kill her, succeeding as he stabbed her multiple times, before cutting her head off, and leaving her dead and with her lover in undpeakable anguish.

"You do not remember, Lux? Yes, this is why you feel so unworthy...toward Raphael..."

"You took away his heart and soul, didn't you? Didn't you? DIDN'T YOU?"

"AUGH!" He awakened in his room, after that, given Inari had taken him back there. Cold sweat poured off him, and his eyes got enormous and afraid. "...No...no...I...I-I could not have...I would never..." Then his stomach came back to get him, causing him to start to feel sick. Yet because of the extraordinary circumstances around his pain, he rolled out of the bed, groaning in pain, and he fell to his hands and knees. He began to cough blood, and he shivered profusely. The anxiety and the terror he felt at these revelations, at these new visions of who he used to be, was powerful. He began to weep silently, staring at the blood he had just coughed-up. Inari knelt next to him, trying to comfort him.

...I...I did...I was the one...I killed Honoko, Raphael's first lover...I am so selfish... He bowed his head and coughed more blood, his body racking with pain. He hugged his arms and closed his eyes, but his body had gone cold again, and there was no getting it heated-up again.

Raphael...Look what I did to you...

You have revealed your secret.

And now...I reveal mine...

[Charlia]

"Hey, don't worry! Dad'll help you. You're safe now!"


...Shekhinah...


"It... hurts."

"Yeah..."

"It's cold..."

"I know..."

"I'm scared... Charlotte..."

"Me too..."

"I'm... sorry."

"Too... late..."


Lilith...


Cold...

I never thought it would be cold.

I knew... I always knew that one way or another...

I would die like this...

I thought I was ready...

But right now, all I want is...

One last chance to fight...

[Ranoria]

He walked along the soft grass, the forest quiet except for the singing of crickets in the night and the howls of the wolves of Ryugu-jo.
He looked around with a bit of a growl. This was his domain, his turf.
The growl wasn't too terrifying of course, coming from a few month old wolf pup. Taiyou hiked his leg over a fallen tree, marking his territory, before padding along, and then saw a flash in the night.
I wonder what that is. he chased the light, which kept flickering on and off, through the trees until he came upon a clearing. And there were hundreds of them.
Wow...
Then a slight growl behind him. He turned around quickly, letting out a pup's viscous snarl, and then immedietely put his tail between his legs.
He was staring into the eyes of another wolf. He yipped, then turned and ran, the other falling behind slowly, until Taiyou turned around with another playful yip, bringing up his paw to force his sister's head into the ground. He yipped again, diving down and nibbling at her ear, and she yipped back, the two tussling back and forth, occasionally stopping to snap at the fireflies all around them.
Then they stopped. Something was off. They both looked up to see yet another wolf.
Their mother. Taiyou and his sister whimpered, looking down, and followed her back to the den, where she laid in front of them, blocking off the entrance with a slight growl. Taiyou fell asleep while his tail and ear were being nibbled on by other pups, but until he passed out he had been doing the same, all the fluffy pups snuggled of top of each other for warmth.
Their mother watched them fall asleep, one by one, and eventually walked out, standing atop the small hill, and howled into the night.

[Finsternia]

A woman draped in celestial silk and robes slowly floated down the circle which was pulsing with power. She landed on the ground, now face to face with the man in golden robes and a child floating behind him with a smile on his face. "Mother Kos, we welcome you." Regalion said in a voice of familiarity and Tet waved at Kos. "Hello, Regalion. It has been a long time, Lord of Dragons." She turned her face to Tet and smiled at him. "And to you too Tet. How fares you Lords of Heaven?" Regalion waves his hand in a way of dismissal. "You speak like you're not a Queen of Heaven. Let us go now, my lady. Perhaps you wanted to meet the other Gods and creatures? Or just stroll around?" Kos gave a little laugh. "I am fine with either of those two." The new trio walked into the night, the moon and the stars shining brightly upon them.

[Charlia]

I can't remember what I lost.

But I lost something... something important...

A name...

A face...

A promise I couldn't keep...

Shekhinah...

[Skyline United]

It started as most of his old familiar nightmares did, in Hell. Only here, he was not being beaten. Now, it was a quiet moment, though an ominous one. Lux walked through the darkness, until he saw a figure that was all too familiar to him. It was Lux himself, younger and far more vulnerable. His bloody, mangled body was tied with rusted chains, sitting against the wall with its head bowed. The pink hair on the figure had turned from a dark-pink to a red-wine color, blending in with some of the blood dripping off his face, of his body, and creating a pool of blood around him.

Yet as the younger Lux lay against the wall, in immense pain, a figure flew in from above, shouting his name.

"Uriel!...Uriel!...Ah!" Raguel, the Archangel of Vengeance. He had been sent by God to go find him, and now he had him. Kneeling in front of him, he saw the awful gashes and marks left by the torture. He shuddered, and looked at Uriel, brushing his hair aside slightly. "...Surely you recognize me, Uriel. It is your brother, Raguel. I have missed you greatly, as has your Heavenly Father. Now let's leave from here," he urged him, quietly.

Lux didn't even respond. He merely sat there, staring at the ground, unresponsive. It was as if he had lost all touch with reality, and that he was now merely waiting to die.

Seeing that he would not respond, Raguel decided to carry the younger Lux from the pits of Hell back to earth. The present-day Lux followed them, uncertain-but-curious about the events unfolding in front of him.

Yet he heard his younger brother say when he landed was not what what he was hoping for. Rather, it chilled Raguel to the bone.

"Uriel, are you alright? Please say something! Let me know you are alright!"

The younger Lux stirred slightly, and then a strange noise came from him. A laugh. Not an innocent, broken laugh like the one he had now, but a deranged one. It started tiny, and then it become a full-on cackle. "I am free, now...You have freed me, brother...I thank you, from the bottom of my heart..." he responded, still looking at the ground, but now smiling ominously. The gentle, timid smile the younger Lux would have had, before the torture had all begun, was now a sadistic, almost lustful expression.

Raguel saw his eyes-full of hatred-and he instantly became alarmed. "Uriel...what did they do to you?!" he demanded, in horror.

He continued to grin. "It was not as horrible as you may think, brother. They have taught me...what I did not see before, in my weakness...in my simplicity of heart...They showed me...what I truly desired...What I have wanted since the beginning of my existence..."

"...And what would that be?" Raguel questioned.

The chains suddenly dropped from Lux's body, as if to reveal his subverted passion. He held out his hand, showing his brother the cuts and bruises, the gashes that had cut-open old scars, the blood falling everywhere around him. "Power, my brother...but not just any power. Power over light and the stars? That is nothing. Merely a sweet nothing. The power I desire is power over creation itself. I shall become a spirit of destruction, destroying and rebuilding everything as I see it must be...And I shall rebuild all of this with blood, dear brother...It will be magnificent. If only I had thought of this plan sooner!"

Raguel held out his sword, seeing this would only escalate into violence, if he didn't act. "Uriel...I do not want to hurt you. Please! This is a wicked path, and we can help you out of it. Please, listen to us!"

Young Lux snickered and suddenly began to turn into a shadow, all while still leering at him. "I am listening...but I hear nothing of value. None of it will be, when I am finished." The shadows consumed him like a fire consuming a piece of wood, except they remained wrapped around his body like a cover. Now, his eyes were a deep, blood-red, as he stared down his brother, his shadow form becoming more powerful and amorphous. "All that shall matter...is that I will turn darkness to light. Wickedness to justice. And chaos...into order..." Then, from the shadow form they came. Twelve long, spindly arms with knives for fingers.

Seeing the abominable sight, the Archangel stepped forward, preparing to attack. "You will not change any of those things! I will not allow it!" he exclaimed. Yet as he shouted, it was obvious what he was thinking about. The things Satan must have done to convince him to think these awful ideas were right...that they were willing throwing everything away for.

Yet as present-day Lux watched, he heard a whisper in his ear. "Do you see what you are? Do you?" After a pause, the scene switched, strangely enough.

A young, beautiful Japanese girl was standing on the balcony of her father's house, dreaming about a wedding. Her long, soft, jet-black hair floated in the wind behind her. Cherry blossom petals floated off the trees and floated in the lake below.

A voice called to the girl. "Hono-chan! Tea is ready!"

"I am coming! Just give me a couple of minutes!" It was Honoko, the first girl Raphael had loved. She was lovely and sweet, almost like a fairy. As the wind blew by, a blossom flew out of the trees and landed in her hands. She looked at it, and the scenic spring blooming around her, and she was enraptured. A gentle, romantic soul.

Then he appeared. The ronin, her murderer shifted out of the shadows toward her, dressed in all-black and holding two swords at his belt. He was exceptionally careful not to make any noise, as he approached her.

Present-day Lux knew exactly what was going to happen. He ran after the ronin to stop him, but then he froze.

Standing next to Honoko was a young man who looked very familiar. He turned to look at her, smiling contently. His soft, short brown hair fluttered in the wind, and his robes ruffled slightly in the wind. Raphael.

"You've never been more lovely than you are tonight, you know that?"
"My dear, you say that all the time!" she answered, teasing.
"I-I know! But it's true! Every time I see you, you become more and more gorgeous."

And the like went on, as the ronin approached. Finally, the last player came into the scene. A shadow wrapped itself around ronin, before landing next to him and taking his humanoid shape. Lux himself.

The present-day Lux gasped. "NO!" he screamed, seeing his demonic-self there.

The demon spoke smoothly. "You wanted her, didn't you, friend? You wanted her and she never paid any attention to you...You fool...It is because she is a princess, and you are not royalty..." he whispered, to the ronin, smiling.

The ronin grit his teeth, hateful toward the Angel next to the girl.

"I love the spring...it's so...mystical, almost..." Honoko whispered to her lover. Her dark eyes were big and bright, full of love and wonder.

After a moment of silence the demon urged ronin, "Go...Kill her...and then you can join her and be equals..."

The fatal scene then unfolded. The ronin rushing to kill her, succeeding as he stabbed her multiple times, before cutting her head off, and leaving her dead and with her lover in undpeakable anguish.

"You do not remember, Lux? Yes, this is why you feel so unworthy...toward Raphael..."

"You took away his heart and soul, didn't you? Didn't you? DIDN'T YOU?"

"AUGH!" He awakened in his room, after that, given Inari had taken him back there. Cold sweat poured off him, and his eyes got enormous and afraid. "...No...no...I...I-I could not have...I would never..." Then his stomach came back to get him, causing him to start to feel sick. Yet because of the extraordinary circumstances around his pain, he rolled out of the bed, groaning in pain, and he fell to his hands and knees. He began to cough blood, and he shivered profusely. The anxiety and the terror he felt at these revelations, at these new visions of who he used to be, was powerful. He began to weep silently, staring at the blood he had just coughed-up. Inari knelt next to him, trying to comfort him.

...I...I did...I was the one...I killed Honoko, Raphael's first lover...I am so selfish... He bowed his head and coughed more blood, his body racking with pain. He hugged his arms and closed his eyes, but his body had gone cold again, and there was no getting it heated-up again.

Raphael...Look what I did to you...

You have revealed your secret.

And now...I reveal mine...

Inari quickly jumped off the bed and grabbed a small cloth. She kneeled down next to him and began to clean the blood from around his mouth. A few seconds into the task, she leaned in and kissed his cheek before whispering, "I know why you are hurting... I-I can hear your thoughts. Please, let me help you. That's all I want to do. I just want you to be okay."

[Luminesa]

It started as most of his old familiar nightmares did, in Hell. Only here, he was not being beaten. Now, it was a quiet moment, though an ominous one. Lux walked through the darkness, until he saw a figure that was all too familiar to him. It was Lux himself, younger and far more vulnerable. His bloody, mangled body was tied with rusted chains, sitting against the wall with its head bowed. The pink hair on the figure had turned from a dark-pink to a red-wine color, blending in with some of the blood dripping off his face, of his body, and creating a pool of blood around him.

Yet as the younger Lux lay against the wall, in immense pain, a figure flew in from above, shouting his name.

"Uriel!...Uriel!...Ah!" Raguel, the Archangel of Vengeance. He had been sent by God to go find him, and now he had him. Kneeling in front of him, he saw the awful gashes and marks left by the torture. He shuddered, and looked at Uriel, brushing his hair aside slightly. "...Surely you recognize me, Uriel. It is your brother, Raguel. I have missed you greatly, as has your Heavenly Father. Now let's leave from here," he urged him, quietly.

Lux didn't even respond. He merely sat there, staring at the ground, unresponsive. It was as if he had lost all touch with reality, and that he was now merely waiting to die.

Seeing that he would not respond, Raguel decided to carry the younger Lux from the pits of Hell back to earth. The present-day Lux followed them, uncertain-but-curious about the events unfolding in front of him.

Yet he heard his younger brother say when he landed was not what what he was hoping for. Rather, it chilled Raguel to the bone.

"Uriel, are you alright? Please say something! Let me know you are alright!"

The younger Lux stirred slightly, and then a strange noise came from him. A laugh. Not an innocent, broken laugh like the one he had now, but a deranged one. It started tiny, and then it become a full-on cackle. "I am free, now...You have freed me, brother...I thank you, from the bottom of my heart..." he responded, still looking at the ground, but now smiling ominously. The gentle, timid smile the younger Lux would have had, before the torture had all begun, was now a sadistic, almost lustful expression.

Raguel saw his eyes-full of hatred-and he instantly became alarmed. "Uriel...what did they do to you?!" he demanded, in horror.

He continued to grin. "It was not as horrible as you may think, brother. They have taught me...what I did not see before, in my weakness...in my simplicity of heart...They showed me...what I truly desired...What I have wanted since the beginning of my existence..."

"...And what would that be?" Raguel questioned.

The chains suddenly dropped from Lux's body, as if to reveal his subverted passion. He held out his hand, showing his brother the cuts and bruises, the gashes that had cut-open old scars, the blood falling everywhere around him. "Power, my brother...but not just any power. Power over light and the stars? That is nothing. Merely a sweet nothing. The power I desire is power over creation itself. I shall become a spirit of destruction, destroying and rebuilding everything as I see it must be...And I shall rebuild all of this with blood, dear brother...It will be magnificent. If only I had thought of this plan sooner!"

Raguel held out his sword, seeing this would only escalate into violence, if he didn't act. "Uriel...I do not want to hurt you. Please! This is a wicked path, and we can help you out of it. Please, listen to us!"

Young Lux snickered and suddenly began to turn into a shadow, all while still leering at him. "I am listening...but I hear nothing of value. None of it will be, when I am finished." The shadows consumed him like a fire consuming a piece of wood, except they remained wrapped around his body like a cover. Now, his eyes were a deep, blood-red, as he stared down his brother, his shadow form becoming more powerful and amorphous. "All that shall matter...is that I will turn darkness to light. Wickedness to justice. And chaos...into order..." Then, from the shadow form they came. Twelve long, spindly arms with knives for fingers.

Seeing the abominable sight, the Archangel stepped forward, preparing to attack. "You will not change any of those things! I will not allow it!" he exclaimed. Yet as he shouted, it was obvious what he was thinking about. The things Satan must have done to convince him to think these awful ideas were right...that they were willing throwing everything away for.

Yet as present-day Lux watched, he heard a whisper in his ear. "Do you see what you are? Do you?" After a pause, the scene switched, strangely enough.

A young, beautiful Japanese girl was standing on the balcony of her father's house, dreaming about a wedding. Her long, soft, jet-black hair floated in the wind behind her. Cherry blossom petals floated off the trees and floated in the lake below.

A voice called to the girl. "Hono-chan! Tea is ready!"

"I am coming! Just give me a couple of minutes!" It was Honoko, the first girl Raphael had loved. She was lovely and sweet, almost like a fairy. As the wind blew by, a blossom flew out of the trees and landed in her hands. She looked at it, and the scenic spring blooming around her, and she was enraptured. A gentle, romantic soul.

Then he appeared. The ronin, her murderer shifted out of the shadows toward her, dressed in all-black and holding two swords at his belt. He was exceptionally careful not to make any noise, as he approached her.

Present-day Lux knew exactly what was going to happen. He ran after the ronin to stop him, but then he froze.

Standing next to Honoko was a young man who looked very familiar. He turned to look at her, smiling contently. His soft, short brown hair fluttered in the wind, and his robes ruffled slightly in the wind. Raphael.

"You've never been more lovely than you are tonight, you know that?"
"My dear, you say that all the time!" she answered, teasing.
"I-I know! But it's true! Every time I see you, you become more and more gorgeous."

And the like went on, as the ronin approached. Finally, the last player came into the scene. A shadow wrapped itself around ronin, before landing next to him and taking his humanoid shape. Lux himself.

The present-day Lux gasped. "NO!" he screamed, seeing his demonic-self there.

The demon spoke smoothly. "You wanted her, didn't you, friend? You wanted her and she never paid any attention to you...You fool...It is because she is a princess, and you are not royalty..." he whispered, to the ronin, smiling.

The ronin grit his teeth, hateful toward the Angel next to the girl.

"I love the spring...it's so...mystical, almost..." Honoko whispered to her lover. Her dark eyes were big and bright, full of love and wonder.

After a moment of silence the demon urged ronin, "Go...Kill her...and then you can join her and be equals..."

The fatal scene then unfolded. The ronin rushing to kill her, succeeding as he stabbed her multiple times, before cutting her head off, and leaving her dead and with her lover in undpeakable anguish.

"You do not remember, Lux? Yes, this is why you feel so unworthy...toward Raphael..."

"You took away his heart and soul, didn't you? Didn't you? DIDN'T YOU?"

"AUGH!" He awakened in his room, after that, given Inari had taken him back there. Cold sweat poured off him, and his eyes got enormous and afraid. "...No...no...I...I-I could not have...I would never..." Then his stomach came back to get him, causing him to start to feel sick. Yet because of the extraordinary circumstances around his pain, he rolled out of the bed, groaning in pain, and he fell to his hands and knees. He began to cough blood, and he shivered profusely. The anxiety and the terror he felt at these revelations, at these new visions of who he used to be, was powerful. He began to weep silently, staring at the blood he had just coughed-up. Inari knelt next to him, trying to comfort him.

...I...I did...I was the one...I killed Honoko, Raphael's first lover...I am so selfish... He bowed his head and coughed more blood, his body racking with pain. He hugged his arms and closed his eyes, but his body had gone cold again, and there was no getting it heated-up again.

Raphael...Look what I did to you...

You have revealed your secret.

And now...I reveal mine...

Inari quickly jumped off the bed and grabbed a small cloth. She kneeled down next to him and began to clean the blood from around his mouth. A few seconds into the task, she leaned in and kissed his cheek before whispering, "I know why you are hurting... I-I can hear your thoughts. Please, let me help you. That's all I want to do. I just want you to be okay."

He nodded, as he was still sobbing silently. "It is so cold...Inari...everything is so cold..." he whispered, shivering, "I am a murderer...I killed her...it is so cold..."

[Charlia]

So much blood...

The light... Oh, it burns...

I never thought I would ask this, but please... Please, take me back to the darkness...

It's where I belong, now.


Kneeling, staring down at the ground, watching her own blood slowly fall, coalescing in a pool of red on the ground, mixing with her tears.

As she watched, she felt something cold hit her. And another. And another.

It was raining.

It wasn't supposed to rain here.

She looked up, seeing the drops pour from the darkness above her, mingling with her blood, her tears. She held out her arms, letting the rain flow over her, washing the blood away. She wanted to feel clean. She wanted the rain to cleanse her. Healing rain...

But it was not to be. Nothing could wash the stains of evil away. He had violated her, corrupted her, and nothing could cleanse her now.

Her tears had been silent, but now they were audible, deep, ragged, heaving sobs, her face twisted in anguish as the heavens wept with her, as she gasped out a single word, over and over again, choking on her tears...

"Why?"

[Luminesa]

It started as most of his old familiar nightmares did, in Hell. Only here, he was not being beaten. Now, it was a quiet moment, though an ominous one. Lux walked through the darkness, until he saw a figure that was all too familiar to him. It was Lux himself, younger and far more vulnerable. His bloody, mangled body was tied with rusted chains, sitting against the wall with its head bowed. The pink hair on the figure had turned from a dark-pink to a red-wine color, blending in with some of the blood dripping off his face, off his body, and creating a pool of blood around him.

Yet as the younger Lux lay against the wall, in immense pain, a figure flew in from above, shouting his name.

"Uriel!...Uriel!...Ah!" Raguel, the Archangel of Vengeance. He had been sent by God to go find him, and now he had him. Kneeling in front of him, he saw the awful gashes and marks left by the torture. He shuddered, and looked at Uriel, brushing his hair aside slightly. "...Surely you recognize me, Uriel. It is your brother, Raguel. I have missed you greatly, as has your Heavenly Father. Now let's leave from here," he urged him, quietly.

Lux didn't even respond. He merely sat there, staring at the ground, unresponsive. It was as if he had lost all touch with reality, and that he was now merely waiting to die.

Seeing that he would not respond, Raguel decided to carry the younger Lux from the pits of Hell back to earth. The present-day Lux followed them, uncertain-but-curious about the events unfolding in front of him.

Yet what he heard his younger self say when he landed was not what what he was hoping for. Rather, it chilled Raguel to the bone.

"Uriel, are you alright? Please say something! Let me know you are alright!"

The younger Lux stirred slightly, and then a strange noise came from him. A laugh. Not an innocent, broken laugh like the one he had now, but a deranged one. It started tiny, and then it become a full-on cackle. "I am free, now...You have freed me, brother...I thank you, from the bottom of my heart..." he responded, still looking at the ground, but now smiling ominously. The gentle, timid smile the younger Lux would have had, before the torture had all begun, was now a sadistic, almost lustful expression.

Raguel saw his eyes-full of hatred-and he instantly became alarmed. "Uriel...what did they do to you?!" he demanded, in horror.

He continued to grin. "It was not as horrible as you may think, brother. They have taught me...what I did not see before, in my weakness...in my simplicity of heart...They showed me...what I truly desired...What I have wanted since the beginning of my existence..."

"...And what would that be?" Raguel questioned.

The chains suddenly dropped from Lux's body, as if to reveal his subverted passion. He held out his hand, showing his brother the cuts and bruises, the gashes that had cut-open old scars, the blood falling everywhere around him. "Power, my brother...but not just any power. Power over light and the stars? That is nothing. Merely a sweet nothing. The power I desire is power over creation itself. I shall become a spirit of destruction, destroying and rebuilding everything as I see it must be...And I shall rebuild all of this with blood, dear brother...It will be magnificent. If only I had thought of this plan sooner!"

Raguel held out his sword, seeing this would only escalate into violence, if he didn't act. "Uriel...I do not want to hurt you. Please! This is a wicked path, and we can help you out of it. Please, listen to us!"

Young Lux snickered and suddenly began to turn into a shadow, all while still leering at him. "I am listening...but I hear nothing of value. None of it will be, when I am finished." The shadows consumed him like a fire consuming a piece of wood, except they remained wrapped around his body like a cover. Now, his eyes were a deep, blood-red, as he stared down his brother, his shadow form becoming more powerful and amorphous. "All that shall matter...is that I will turn darkness to light. Wickedness to justice. And chaos...into order..." Then, from the shadow form they came. Twelve long, spindly arms with knives for fingers.

Seeing the abominable sight, the Archangel stepped forward, preparing to attack. "You will not change any of those things! I will not allow it!" he exclaimed. Yet as he shouted, it was obvious what he was thinking about. The things Satan must have done to convince him to think these awful ideas were right...that they were willing throwing everything away for.

Yet as present-day Lux watched, he heard a whisper in his ear. "Do you see what you are? Do you?" After a pause, the scene switched, strangely enough.

A young, beautiful Japanese girl was standing on the balcony of her father's house, dreaming about a wedding. Her long, soft, jet-black hair floated in the wind behind her. Cherry blossom petals floated off the trees and floated in the lake below.

A voice called to the girl. "Hono-chan! Tea is ready!"

"I am coming! Just give me a couple of minutes!" It was Honoko, the first girl Raphael had loved. She was lovely and sweet, almost like a fairy. As the wind blew by, a blossom flew out of the trees and landed in her hands. She looked at it, and the scenic spring blooming around her, and she was enraptured. A gentle, romantic soul.

Then he appeared. The ronin, her murderer shifted out of the shadows toward her, dressed in all-black and holding two swords at his belt. He was exceptionally careful not to make any noise, as he approached her.

Present-day Lux knew exactly what was going to happen. He ran after the ronin to stop him, but then he froze.

Standing next to Honoko was a young man who looked very familiar. He turned to look at her, smiling contently. His soft, short brown hair fluttered in the wind, and his robes ruffled slightly in the wind. Raphael.

"You've never been more lovely than you are tonight, you know that?"
"My dear, you say that all the time!" she answered, teasing.
"I-I know! But it's true! Every time I see you, you become more and more gorgeous."

And the like went on, as the ronin approached. Finally, the last player came into the scene. A shadow wrapped itself around ronin, before landing next to him and taking his humanoid shape. Lux himself.

The present-day Lux gasped. "NO!" he screamed, seeing his demonic-self there.

The demon spoke smoothly. "You wanted her, didn't you, friend? You wanted her and she never paid any attention to you...You fool...It is because she is a princess, and you are not royalty..." he whispered, to the ronin, smiling.

The ronin grit his teeth, hateful toward the Angel next to the girl.

"I love the spring...it's so...mystical, almost..." Honoko whispered to her lover. Her dark eyes were big and bright, full of love and wonder.

After a moment of silence the demon urged ronin, "Go...Kill her...and then you can join her and be equals..."

The fatal scene then unfolded. The ronin rushing to kill her, succeeding as he stabbed her multiple times, before cutting her head off, and leaving her dead and with her lover in unspeakable anguish.

"You do not remember, Lux? Yes, this is why you feel so unworthy...toward Raphael..."

"You took away his heart and soul, didn't you? Didn't you? DIDN'T YOU?"

"AUGH!" He awakened in his room, after that, given Inari had taken him back there. Cold sweat poured off him, and his eyes got enormous and afraid. "...No...no...I...I-I could not have...I would never..." Then his stomach came back to get him, causing him to start to feel sick. Yet because of the extraordinary circumstances around his pain, he rolled out of the bed, groaning in pain, and he fell to his hands and knees. He began to cough blood, and he shivered profusely. The anxiety and the terror he felt at these revelations, at these new visions of who he used to be, was powerful. He began to weep silently, staring at the blood he had just coughed-up. Inari knelt next to him, trying to comfort him.

...I...I did...I was the one...I killed Honoko, Raphael's first lover...I am so selfish... He bowed his head and coughed more blood, his body racking with pain. He hugged his arms and closed his eyes, but his body had gone cold again, and there was no getting it heated-up again.

Raphael...Look what I did to you...

You have revealed your secret.

And now...I reveal mine...

Inari quickly jumped off the bed and grabbed a small cloth. She kneeled down next to him and began to clean the blood from around his mouth. A few seconds into the task, she leaned in and kissed his cheek before whispering, "I know why you are hurting... I-I can hear your thoughts. Please, let me help you. That's all I want to do. I just want you to be okay."

[Ranoria]

Ryujin walked down the halls at relaxed pace, searching for Patriah.
I still haven't taught him how to turn into a baby dragon yet... He raised his chin, sniffing the air, identifying the Mage's scent pretty quickly. There he is.
He keeps going in the same general direction, then stops, turning his head at a hole in the wall that could be walked through even by Patriah, and let in a slight, chilly breeze. That was probably from Jawzarr's rampage, glad that's all over. The dragon shivers before continuing, I hate the cold... He turns a corner and sees the dragon-mage. "Patriah! I've been looking all over for you! Ready for those lessons yet?"

[Luminesa]

Ryujin walked down the halls at relaxed pace, searching for Patriah.
I still haven't taught him how to turn into a baby dragon yet... He raised his chin, sniffing the air, identifying the Mage's scent pretty quickly. There he is.
He keeps going in the same general direction, then stops, turning his head at a hole in the wall that could be walked through even by Patriah, and let in a slight, chilly breeze. That was probably from Jawzarr's rampage, glad that's all over. The dragon shivers before continuing, I hate the cold... He turns a corner and sees the dragon-mage. "Patriah! I've been looking all over for you! Ready for those lessons yet?"

He blinked, and he sighed his relief. "Oh! There you are. Yeah, let's...let's go," he answered, still a slight bit shaken.

At the same time, however, he sensed an intense amount of distress coming from somewhere. He rushed into the empty dorm across from Loki's, with Ryujin following him, and he opened the door. There, both of them saw Lux huddled against his bed, shivering, with large bloodstain on the carpet in front of him.

"...Oh no. Fish-Face, get Raph! Something is really, really wrong here!"

Lux looked-up, horrified. "No, please...Patriah...he must not kn-"

"You've been hiding your pain long enough. RYUJIN! GET RAPH!" he shouted, rushing over to him and to Inari. He stared at the Angel, trying to think of what it could be.

He just healed Raphael.

He was fine literally ten minutes ago.

And we got rid of the whip...

Unless the whip triggered something else...

He furrowed his brow, trying to think.

Ugh, his nightmares must have come back, then.

But what were they this time?...

[Free Empire of the Low Isles]

"So, you refuse to even acknowledge Violet's existence....... then I show go and tell her in the afterlife how you feel about her".

(OCC: Sira thinks that Jawzarr at this point after hearing that he almost killed the women the loved her, killed Violet and she was already angry to begin with. Jawzarr is really making himself the bad guy here and if he attacks.... then he will know what to feels like to have someone pull your soul from your body. It won't kill them and his soul won't leave his body. And he not even acknowledging what really happened in the fight with Violet and still is making stuff up about it, so who is the prick in this situation?).

His eyes flash with rage, and this time he grabs Sira by the throat until he hears the bones in her neck begin to creak, "I told you what happened at Yggdrasil. That is how she died. Now you have two options here little godling. Either I'm going to squeeze a bit harder and pop off your head, or you're going to leave. I love Violet with all my heart, that I cannot help, but the pain will fade. What do you want me to do, tell you about how she "

He hasn't made anything up...
Remember? Violet came to see him at Yggdrasil, and then jumped off the branches so she could die. I'm not sure what you're implying. You're intentionally antagonizing an already angry and unstable dragon. And what do you mean refuse to acknowledge Violet's existence? He said her name! Are you even reading my posts before responding? DX

Raphael blinks and pauses the episode. "Wait... What?"

She looks up, confused, then realizes what he's asking about. "Xavier asked me to tell him where my father was, and he needed some money, turns out that was for a ring, and it was for Haruka! Father was there. Apparently he's paying for the wedding though." She giggles, "He has the money though, he'll be fine."

Raphael blinks, then chuckles and holds Otohume closer to him. "I guess you think he's a lot braver than me now, huh?" he asks.

[Luminesa]

"Are you confused?" he inquired. He took her hands, and gazed at her. "Ah, you don't really know a lot of people here, do you? Well...we'll have to get you acquainted! There's plenty enough good people around here for you to become friends with them! By the time the wedding is done you'll know everybody here," he told her, grinning. After a moment, however, he added, "But...yeah...It doesn't have to be stressful. We're not going to let it get stressful. We're going to have fun with it and get through all the things we need to do. Together."

She leaned against him, smiling.

"...Together..."

Haruka had never been one for fairy tales. (She preferred ghost stories. Which made sense, considering she was in one.) But if she had, she probably would have compared this moment to a fairy tale.

He's an immortal angel, and I'm a ghost...

Forever...

The word's always seemed so... so daunting. Especially before I found Kyoko. The thought of spending forever separated from my husband, my baby... it was so terrifying.

But I found Kyoko, and now I have Xavier...

And suddenly 'forever' seems like one of the most beautiful words in existence.

"Soooooo...this means we have to find outfits...and have a cake made...hmmmm...and we need a celebrant...Hahaha...this might be kind of a while, before we get to the actual wedding..." he muttered.

And I'm not completely out of money. This is a good thing.

Maybe I can help her buy her dress?

But I've never bought anything for a girl before.

Except a ring.

Which I guess is a pretty good start...

[Ranoria]

His eyes flash with rage, and this time he grabs Sira by the throat until he hears the bones in her neck begin to creak, "I told you what happened at Yggdrasil. That is how she died. Now you have two options here little godling. Either I'm going to squeeze a bit harder and pop off your head, or you're going to leave. I love Violet with all my heart, that I cannot help, but the pain will fade. What do you want me to do, tell you about how she "

He hasn't made anything up...
Remember? Violet came to see him at Yggdrasil, and then jumped off the branches so she could die. I'm not sure what you're implying. You're intentionally antagonizing an already angry and unstable dragon. And what do you mean refuse to acknowledge Violet's existence? He said her name! Are you even reading my posts before responding? DX

She looks up, confused, then realizes what he's asking about. "Xavier asked me to tell him where my father was, and he needed some money, turns out that was for a ring, and it was for Haruka! Father was there. Apparently he's paying for the wedding though." She giggles, "He has the money though, he'll be fine."

Raphael blinks, then chuckles and holds Otohume closer to him. "I guess you think he's a lot braver than me now, huh?" he asks.

She smiles, "Maybe a litt-"
Ryujin barges in, busting open the door, and Otohime starts.
"Father? What's wrong?"
"Sorry Oto, we need Raph! Now! It's Lux, he's hurt, come on!" Ryujin grabs Raphael, throwing him over his shoulders, then bolts back to Patriah and Lux, Otohime following.
He stops, letting Raph down, "Alright, do your thing!"
Otohime arrives at the doorway, panting.
"What's going on..?"

[Luminesa]

Raphael blinks, then chuckles and holds Otohume closer to him. "I guess you think he's a lot braver than me now, huh?" he asks.

She smiles, "Maybe a litt-"
Ryujin barges in, busting open the door, and Otohime starts.
"Father? What's wrong?"
"Sorry Oto, we need Raph! Now! It's Lux, he's hurt, come on!" Ryujin grabs Raphael, throwing him over his shoulders, then bolts back to Patriah and Lux, Otohime following.
He stops, letting Raph down, "Alright, do your thing!"
Otohime arrives at the doorway, panting.
"What's going on..?"

With blood still dripping from his mouth, and his body still doused in cold sweat, Lux merely stared at Raphael, unable to do anything but shiver.

What have I done...

What have I done...

I am so selfish...

I cannot tell him...

I am so selfish...

[Free Empire of the Low Isles]

Raphael blinks, then chuckles and holds Otohume closer to him. "I guess you think he's a lot braver than me now, huh?" he asks.

She smiles, "Maybe a litt-"
Ryujin barges in, busting open the door, and Otohime starts.
"Father? What's wrong?"
"Sorry Oto, we need Raph! Now! It's Lux, he's hurt, come on!" Ryujin grabs Raphael, throwing him over his shoulders, then bolts back to Patriah and Lux, Otohime following.
He stops, letting Raph down, "Alright, do your thing!"
Otohime arrives at the doorway, panting.
"What's going on..?"

Raphael stands there blinking, looking down at Lux. "Wh... what happened?" he asks quietly.

I did it again.

I ignored him again.

He got hurt, and I was just off... messing with 'Hime.

It's my fault...

[Luminesa]

She smiles, "Maybe a litt-"
Ryujin barges in, busting open the door, and Otohime starts.
"Father? What's wrong?"
"Sorry Oto, we need Raph! Now! It's Lux, he's hurt, come on!" Ryujin grabs Raphael, throwing him over his shoulders, then bolts back to Patriah and Lux, Otohime following.
He stops, letting Raph down, "Alright, do your thing!"
Otohime arrives at the doorway, panting.
"What's going on..?"

Raphael stands there blinking, looking down at Lux. "Wh... what happened?" he asks quietly.

I did it again.

I ignored him again.

He got hurt, and I was just off... messing with 'Hime.

It's my fault...

He looked away, unwilling to speak. He merely closed his eyes and continued crying to himself.

"Lux, you need to tell him what's wrong," Patriah told him.

After a moment, he spoke, but his voice was tiny. "Raphael...I am sorry..." he spoke.

[Free Empire of the Low Isles]

Raphael stands there blinking, looking down at Lux. "Wh... what happened?" he asks quietly.

I did it again.

I ignored him again.

He got hurt, and I was just off... messing with 'Hime.

It's my fault...

He looked away, unwilling to speak. He merely closed his eyes and continued crying to himself.

"Lux, you need to tell him what's wrong," Patriah told him.

After a moment, he spoke, but his voice was tiny. "Raphael...I am sorry..." he spoke.

Raphael smiles sadly. He thinks he's disturbed 'Hime and me again... he thinks.

"It's alright Lux, it's my fault. Come on, tell me where it hurts."

[Luminesa]

He looked away, unwilling to speak. He merely closed his eyes and continued crying to himself.

"Lux, you need to tell him what's wrong," Patriah told him.

After a moment, he spoke, but his voice was tiny. "Raphael...I am sorry..." he spoke.

Raphael smiles sadly. He thinks he's disturbed 'Hime and me again... he thinks.

"It's alright Lux, it's my fault. Come on, tell me where it hurts."

"...This whole time..." he began, sobbing, "I have been selfish...I have been so afraid of losing you...of losing someone...who actually loved me...that I hid all of my past...I hid myself away...Why am I so constantly afraid?...I...think I may know...Now I have seen it...But...it is painful...you will hate me if I tell you...where my pain has come from..."