Holy High - IC 2 - Open

[Charlia]

She turned slightly, and the site of the bleeding came into view.

Her eyes.

She tilted her head to the side and smiled in an odd manner, as though she was completely mad, smiling, tears of blood dripping down her face.

"Is something wrong?"

Hamiri gasped, afraid as she saw her eyes bleeding. "Charlotte! Your eyes!" she exclaimed.

Lux stepped toward her, trying to understand what had happened. "Charlotte, why are you bleeding? Did Adam attack you?" he questioned.

"No," she said absently. "No, he didn't attack me... Why are you so upset? Don't you like it? It suits me this way, I think. Much more fitting. Now you see me. Me, as I am. No... not quite yet," she mused. "There's more that needs changing before I reflect my reality."

[Castle Crashers]

Hyperion giggled, light emanating in time to his chuckling.

Well, one, it makes it easy to get your way, and two, you can have a little fun, scaring people. I mean, the scariest thing I can give people is a peel from a sun-burn.

Tharizdun

Tharizdun thought for a second, before sitting down on the air, thinking, the spikes slowly melting back into the ground.

Now you've caught my attention. Speak.

Raven

Raven growled, his form growing hazy around the edges, as he suddenly exploded in a column of light, heat and power, exploding into thousands of albino ravens, flittering through the air, while maintaining a solid, human, astral form. Each raven shot through a portal in space-time, a third eye, opening above their beaks, as they flew through the universe, one plain of existence at a time, Raven's astral form, tearing through reality, walking across the fabric of space, his mind, in trillions of places at once.

He grinned beneath the mask, walking out onto a flat, grey plain of salt, the remnants of a lost world, the first world, he had taken his allies to. Buildings lay crumbling around them, the flat, dull, blasted surface of the planetoid, plain, except for the sole figure in the distance.

Like you can hide from me. I made you. and you dare acuse me of evil? When all I've done, all I've shown you, has been kindness, and the acts of someone who wants to learn from their mistakes? Tell me, Thana, you who accuse me, when you have committed sins much greater than mine own. Tell me, Thana. What. Have. I. Done?!

She laughed. "Sure, but you can also incinerate people or give them melanoma!" She shook her head with a wide smile. "You seriously underestimate yourself if you think a sunburn's the worst you can do..."

Hamiri gasped, afraid as she saw her eyes bleeding. "Charlotte! Your eyes!" she exclaimed.

Lux stepped toward her, trying to understand what had happened. "Charlotte, why are you bleeding? Did Adam attack you?" he questioned.

"No," she said absently. "No, he didn't attack me... Why are you so upset? Don't you like it? It suits me this way, I think. Much more fitting. Now you see me. Me, as I am. No... not quite yet," she mused. "There's more that needs changing before I reflect my reality."

It was at this moment that Cade realized her eyes, and already worried about her as he was from earlier, he wasn't sure why she was so calm. "Charlotte, but why? or, how more specifically?"

[Charlia]

Hyperion giggled, light emanating in time to his chuckling.

Well, one, it makes it easy to get your way, and two, you can have a little fun, scaring people. I mean, the scariest thing I can give people is a peel from a sun-burn.

Tharizdun

Tharizdun thought for a second, before sitting down on the air, thinking, the spikes slowly melting back into the ground.

Now you've caught my attention. Speak.

Raven

Raven growled, his form growing hazy around the edges, as he suddenly exploded in a column of light, heat and power, exploding into thousands of albino ravens, flittering through the air, while maintaining a solid, human, astral form. Each raven shot through a portal in space-time, a third eye, opening above their beaks, as they flew through the universe, one plain of existence at a time, Raven's astral form, tearing through reality, walking across the fabric of space, his mind, in trillions of places at once.

He grinned beneath the mask, walking out onto a flat, grey plain of salt, the remnants of a lost world, the first world, he had taken his allies to. Buildings lay crumbling around them, the flat, dull, blasted surface of the planetoid, plain, except for the sole figure in the distance.

Like you can hide from me. I made you. and you dare acuse me of evil? When all I've done, all I've shown you, has been kindness, and the acts of someone who wants to learn from their mistakes? Tell me, Thana, you who accuse me, when you have committed sins much greater than mine own. Tell me, Thana. What. Have. I. Done?!

She laughed. "Sure, but you can also incinerate people or give them melanoma!" She shook her head with a wide smile. "You seriously underestimate yourself if you think a sunburn's the worst you can do..."

"No," she said absently. "No, he didn't attack me... Why are you so upset? Don't you like it? It suits me this way, I think. Much more fitting. Now you see me. Me, as I am. No... not quite yet," she mused. "There's more that needs changing before I reflect my reality."

It was at this moment that Cade realized her eyes, and already worried about her as he was from earlier, he wasn't sure why she was so calm. "Charlotte, but why? or, how more specifically?"

"I grew tired of disguises," she said coolly. "I am able to take any form I wish. So I chose to become as close to my true form as I can without destroying everyone who looks upon me. This is a form I assumed you would all be able to comprehend...?"

[Theocretes]

Hyperion giggled, light emanating in time to his chuckling.

Well, one, it makes it easy to get your way, and two, you can have a little fun, scaring people. I mean, the scariest thing I can give people is a peel from a sun-burn.

Tharizdun

Tharizdun thought for a second, before sitting down on the air, thinking, the spikes slowly melting back into the ground.

Now you've caught my attention. Speak.

Raven

Raven growled, his form growing hazy around the edges, as he suddenly exploded in a column of light, heat and power, exploding into thousands of albino ravens, flittering through the air, while maintaining a solid, human, astral form. Each raven shot through a portal in space-time, a third eye, opening above their beaks, as they flew through the universe, one plain of existence at a time, Raven's astral form, tearing through reality, walking across the fabric of space, his mind, in trillions of places at once.

He grinned beneath the mask, walking out onto a flat, grey plain of salt, the remnants of a lost world, the first world, he had taken his allies to. Buildings lay crumbling around them, the flat, dull, blasted surface of the planetoid, plain, except for the sole figure in the distance.

Like you can hide from me. I made you. and you dare acuse me of evil? When all I've done, all I've shown you, has been kindness, and the acts of someone who wants to learn from their mistakes? Tell me, Thana, you who accuse me, when you have committed sins much greater than mine own. Tell me, Thana. What. Have. I. Done?!

"Ok, so here it is: If you join Thana and I, you will get the chance to fight...and win. Think of it, dozens of gods at your grasp, to maim, murder, and Torture. The only way that will happen...the only way you can come out on top of this with these gods at your disposal is to join us. If you are interested...I can tell you the rest of the plan if you wish...but I feel I have told you enough"
Ianar finished his last remark with a sick smirk

[Castle Crashers]

She laughed. "Sure, but you can also incinerate people or give them melanoma!" She shook her head with a wide smile. "You seriously underestimate yourself if you think a sunburn's the worst you can do..."



It was at this moment that Cade realized her eyes, and already worried about her as he was from earlier, he wasn't sure why she was so calm. "Charlotte, but why? or, how more specifically?"

"I grew tired of disguises," she said coolly. "I am able to take any form I wish. So I chose to become as close to my true form as I can without destroying everyone who looks upon me. This is a form I assumed you would all be able to comprehend...?"

He nodded. "It is, it's just different, is all."

[Charlia]

"I grew tired of disguises," she said coolly. "I am able to take any form I wish. So I chose to become as close to my true form as I can without destroying everyone who looks upon me. This is a form I assumed you would all be able to comprehend...?"

He nodded. "It is, it's just different, is all."

"You seem displeased," she noted. "Is there any particular reason?"

So tiring, explanations. Just accept it and move along.

[Castle Crashers]

He nodded. "It is, it's just different, is all."

"You seem displeased," she noted. "Is there any particular reason?"

So tiring, explanations. Just accept it and move along.

"I'm not displeased..." He said, honesty in his words. "I love you in any shape or form you are...it's just new seeing you like this, is all. Nothing's wrong."

[Charlia]

"You seem displeased," she noted. "Is there any particular reason?"

So tiring, explanations. Just accept it and move along.

"I'm not displeased..." He said, honesty in his words. "I love you in any shape or form you are...it's just new seeing you like this, is all. Nothing's wrong."

Two drops of blood intersected, and left an almost heart-shaped stain on her face.

In abstract form, of course.

"Well," she said in an entirely different tone. "...Thank you."

[Castle Crashers]

"I'm not displeased..." He said, honesty in his words. "I love you in any shape or form you are...it's just new seeing you like this, is all. Nothing's wrong."

Two drops of blood intersected, and left an almost heart-shaped stain on her face.

In abstract form, of course.

"Well," she said in an entirely different tone. "...Thank you."

He smiled gently. "You don't need to thank me for the truth on how I feel about you...the pleasure's all mine, knowing that you know how I feel."

[Luminesa]

Hyperion giggled, light emanating in time to his chuckling.

Well, one, it makes it easy to get your way, and two, you can have a little fun, scaring people. I mean, the scariest thing I can give people is a peel from a sun-burn.

Tharizdun

Tharizdun thought for a second, before sitting down on the air, thinking, the spikes slowly melting back into the ground.

Now you've caught my attention. Speak.

Raven

Raven growled, his form growing hazy around the edges, as he suddenly exploded in a column of light, heat and power, exploding into thousands of albino ravens, flittering through the air, while maintaining a solid, human, astral form. Each raven shot through a portal in space-time, a third eye, opening above their beaks, as they flew through the universe, one plain of existence at a time, Raven's astral form, tearing through reality, walking across the fabric of space, his mind, in trillions of places at once.

He grinned beneath the mask, walking out onto a flat, grey plain of salt, the remnants of a lost world, the first world, he had taken his allies to. Buildings lay crumbling around them, the flat, dull, blasted surface of the planetoid, plain, except for the sole figure in the distance.

Like you can hide from me. I made you. and you dare acuse me of evil? When all I've done, all I've shown you, has been kindness, and the acts of someone who wants to learn from their mistakes? Tell me, Thana, you who accuse me, when you have committed sins much greater than mine own. Tell me, Thana. What. Have. I. Done?!

SOMEWHERE IN THE ALTERNATE WORLD

Thana remained hidden in the dimension somewhere, shrouded in darkness. He again refused to back down.

"You in fact did not make me. The Crown made me. I know Him and He knows me, and nothing in my mind could convince me that you are Him, because He ordered me here to investigate, to see why these planets were being destroyed, why people were dying the way they were, and why you seemed to be at the center of it. You have never shown me kindness, nor have you shown anyone else. You have only brought us here to serve you, and when we are done with that, you plan to throw us back in our own world. And finally...God does not make mistakes, little fiend. God never makes mistakes," he whispered, his voice echoing in space.

Finally, as one of the god's ravens was floating near the planet of the other deities, a swipe of a scythe from seemingly nowhere cut it in half, causing it to bleed. However, the figure holding the scythe was covered in the darkness, and after he attacked the raven, he disappeared.

"What have you done? Your pride has caused you to assume you are God and that you have any power over me. You do not seek to heal but to destroy. You do not seek peace but pain, watching as those you say you love are hurt around you, instead of helping them, because you see nothing wrong with their pain and you only have your own goals in mind. You do not even love, but hate, and your hatred follows you wherever you go...It is your trademark..."

The scythe appeared again, and it slashed apart another raven before disappearing.

"Just like your little ravens..."

[Charlia]

Two drops of blood intersected, and left an almost heart-shaped stain on her face.

In abstract form, of course.

"Well," she said in an entirely different tone. "...Thank you."

He smiled gently. "You don't need to thank me for the truth on how I feel about you...the pleasure's all mine, knowing that you know how I feel."

A real tear fell, now, and shattered into thousands of tiny droplets on the ground.

"...I..." She seemed as if she was about to say something, but then fell silent.

[Castle Crashers]

He smiled gently. "You don't need to thank me for the truth on how I feel about you...the pleasure's all mine, knowing that you know how I feel."

A real tear fell, now, and shattered into thousands of tiny droplets on the ground.

"...I..." She seemed as if she was about to say something, but then fell silent.

"What is it..?" He asked, once again concerned by her silence, his smile fading.

[Luminesa]

He smiled gently. "You don't need to thank me for the truth on how I feel about you...the pleasure's all mine, knowing that you know how I feel."

A real tear fell, now, and shattered into thousands of tiny droplets on the ground.

"...I..." She seemed as if she was about to say something, but then fell silent.

Arael recognized her words, and he understood Adam had told almost the same thing to her. He ran to her and hugged her, heartbroken. "Charlotte...whatever he said to you, please do not listen to him. Please. He wants to destroy you, to make you like him...Corrupt and terrible...I'm begging of you...Don't follow him into that darkness...please...don't follow him, or he will make you like the rest of us..." he cried.

Meanwhile, Xavier noticed the wounded raven at the edge of the planet, and he flew over to it. "Hey! You! What's going on here, and where's the rest of you?! We need to talk, now," he told him, angrily.

[Charlia]

A real tear fell, now, and shattered into thousands of tiny droplets on the ground.

"...I..." She seemed as if she was about to say something, but then fell silent.

"What is it..?" He asked, once again concerned by her silence, his smile fading.

"...I don't kno--" She was cut off.

A real tear fell, now, and shattered into thousands of tiny droplets on the ground.

"...I..." She seemed as if she was about to say something, but then fell silent.

Arael recognized her words, and he understood Adam had told almost the same thing to her. He ran to her and hugged her, heartbroken. "Charlotte...whatever he said to you, please do not listen to him. Please. He wants to destroy you, to make you like him...Corrupt and terrible...I'm begging of you...Don't follow him into that darkness...please...don't follow him, or he will make you like the rest of us..." he cried.

Meanwhile, Xavier noticed the wounded raven at the edge of the planet, and he flew over to it. "Hey! You! What's going on here, and where's the rest of you?! We need to talk, now," he told him, angrily.

She just stood there stiffly, enduring in silence, staring down.

I was made corrupt and terrible long ago. Only a few short years after the start of my existence...

I have been this way for many millennia. Why?

[Luminesa]

"What is it..?" He asked, once again concerned by her silence, his smile fading.

"...I don't kno--" She was cut off.

Arael recognized her words, and he understood Adam had told almost the same thing to her. He ran to her and hugged her, heartbroken. "Charlotte...whatever he said to you, please do not listen to him. Please. He wants to destroy you, to make you like him...Corrupt and terrible...I'm begging of you...Don't follow him into that darkness...please...don't follow him, or he will make you like the rest of us..." he cried.

Meanwhile, Xavier noticed the wounded raven at the edge of the planet, and he flew over to it. "Hey! You! What's going on here, and where's the rest of you?! We need to talk, now," he told him, angrily.

She just stood there stiffly, enduring in silence, staring down.

I was made corrupt and terrible long ago. Only a few short years after the start of my existence...

I have been this way for many millennia. Why?

Arael looked at her, tears streaming down his face. "No, you're not corrupt...he made you think you are that way, but you are not...You are good and kind, and you want to save others...he...He only cares for himself!"

The words echoed through the air around him. He knew he'd be in trouble if Adam heard him, but he didn't care. Charlotte was hurt, and Adam didn't love him.

[Charlia]

"...I don't kno--" She was cut off.She just stood there stiffly, enduring in silence, staring down.

I was made corrupt and terrible long ago. Only a few short years after the start of my existence...

I have been this way for many millennia. Why?

Arael looked at her, tears streaming down his face. "No, you're not corrupt...he made you think you are that way, but you are not...You are good and kind, and you want to save others...he...He only cares for himself!"

The words echoed through the air around him. He knew he'd be in trouble if Adam heard him, but he didn't care. Charlotte was hurt, and Adam didn't love him.

"No," she said coldly. "I want to help others only so I can feel better about myself. Why lie about it any longer? I am, always have been, and always will be, a selfish, terrified little girl who lashes out at whoever she sees as evil so she can feel good about herself. A broken tool who was meant to do great things, but was defiled and destroyed. A vindictive child who can't see past her own pain and actually care about anyone else. Damaged goods," she finished with a heavy tone.

[Syrixces]

Hyperion giggled, light emanating in time to his chuckling.

Well, one, it makes it easy to get your way, and two, you can have a little fun, scaring people. I mean, the scariest thing I can give people is a peel from a sun-burn.

Tharizdun

Tharizdun thought for a second, before sitting down on the air, thinking, the spikes slowly melting back into the ground.

Now you've caught my attention. Speak.

Raven

Raven growled, his form growing hazy around the edges, as he suddenly exploded in a column of light, heat and power, exploding into thousands of albino ravens, flittering through the air, while maintaining a solid, human, astral form. Each raven shot through a portal in space-time, a third eye, opening above their beaks, as they flew through the universe, one plain of existence at a time, Raven's astral form, tearing through reality, walking across the fabric of space, his mind, in trillions of places at once.

He grinned beneath the mask, walking out onto a flat, grey plain of salt, the remnants of a lost world, the first world, he had taken his allies to. Buildings lay crumbling around them, the flat, dull, blasted surface of the planetoid, plain, except for the sole figure in the distance.

Like you can hide from me. I made you. and you dare acuse me of evil? When all I've done, all I've shown you, has been kindness, and the acts of someone who wants to learn from their mistakes? Tell me, Thana, you who accuse me, when you have committed sins much greater than mine own. Tell me, Thana. What. Have. I. Done?!

SOMEWHERE IN THE ALTERNATE WORLD

Thana remained hidden in the dimension somewhere, shrouded in darkness. He again refused to back down.

"You in fact did not make me. The Crown made me. I know Him and He knows me, and nothing in my mind could convince me that you are Him, because He ordered me here to investigate, to see why these planets were being destroyed, why people were dying the way they were, and why you seemed to be at the center of it. You have never shown me kindness, nor have you shown anyone else. You have only brought us here to serve you, and when we are done with that, you plan to throw us back in our own world. And finally...God does not make mistakes, little fiend. God never makes mistakes," he whispered, his voice echoing in space.

Finally, as one of the god's ravens was floating near the planet of the other deities, a swipe of a scythe from seemingly nowhere cut it in half, causing it to bleed. However, the figure holding the scythe was covered in the darkness, and after he attacked the raven, he disappeared.

"What have you done? Your pride has caused you to assume you are God and that you have any power over me. You do not seek to heal but to destroy. You do not seek peace but pain, watching as those you say you love are hurt around you, instead of helping them, because you see nothing wrong with their pain and you only have your own goals in mind. You do not even love, but hate, and your hatred follows you wherever you go...It is your trademark..."

The scythe appeared again, and it slashed apart another raven before disappearing.

"Just like your little ravens..."

Raven sighed, rubbing the sides of his temples through the mask, before dropping his hands, and flipping his hood up, drawing in a deep breath with a second sigh, before crouching low, and snapping his fingers, disappearing in a whirl of feathers, appearing right next to Thana, grabbing his throat, and picking him up by the throat with a single hand, eyes glowing bright white beneath the bird's skull mask, voice, shattering through the silent plane around them.

Oh, do puh-lease shut up, you annoying little edge-lord. We get it. Your a too-spooky-for-me Death Mage, scythe and all. But you know what? I tried to be nice. I asked you all, out of humbleness. I admitted my mistakes. But you? You sat and thought up pitiful ways to turn this towards your favor. And, I, the so called, "manipulative" one, still gave you another fucking chance. So you know what? I'm not gonna play "Mr. Nice-Guy" anymore. Now, I'm playing God.

He grinned, as the snapped his fingers, Thana's scythe disappearing, unraveling, out of existence, gone from space and time, as the sliced birds, re-formed, fluttering back to him, his corporeal form, becoming one of a ghostly visage of fluttering wings and beaks, a thousand glowing white eyes, burning, while he maintained a humanoid form, still gripping Thana.

I'm not a cruel God. So you've got one last chance. One last chance, to confess your lies. So, repeat after me. "Our father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name..."

[Luminesa]

Arael looked at her, tears streaming down his face. "No, you're not corrupt...he made you think you are that way, but you are not...You are good and kind, and you want to save others...he...He only cares for himself!"

The words echoed through the air around him. He knew he'd be in trouble if Adam heard him, but he didn't care. Charlotte was hurt, and Adam didn't love him.

"No," she said coldly. "I want to help others only so I can feel better about myself. Why lie about it any longer? I am, always have been, and always will be, a selfish, terrified little girl who lashes out at whoever she sees as evil so she can feel good about herself. A broken tool who was meant to do great things, but was defiled and destroyed. A vindictive child who can't see past her own pain and actually care about anyone else. Damaged goods," she finished with a heavy tone.

"Charlotte, stop this! This is what he has told me for the last millions of years! Those exact same words! That I'm a tool and that's all I'll ever be! And now he's telling you that! He's trying to break you, the same way he has broken me!" Arael's voice cracked in the end, and he stood shaking in front of Charlotte, and he began to cry. "...He only wants to use you...Your God does not want to use you...Your God...your creator loves you...He has given you all of your friends and a lover and a second chance, when you felt everything had been taken from you! Mine...mine has not...And he will not give you anything...He will only continue to break you until you do what he wants...This is not the truth, Charlotte..." When he finished, his voice was weak, though he continued to stand tall in front of her.

[Charlia]

"No," she said coldly. "I want to help others only so I can feel better about myself. Why lie about it any longer? I am, always have been, and always will be, a selfish, terrified little girl who lashes out at whoever she sees as evil so she can feel good about herself. A broken tool who was meant to do great things, but was defiled and destroyed. A vindictive child who can't see past her own pain and actually care about anyone else. Damaged goods," she finished with a heavy tone.

"Charlotte, stop this! This is what he has told me for the last millions of years! Those exact same words! That I'm a tool and that's all I'll ever be! And now he's telling you that! He's trying to break you, the same way he has broken me!" Arael's voice cracked in the end, and he stood shaking in front of Charlotte, and he began to cry. "...He only wants to use you...Your God does not want to use you...Your God...your creator loves you...He has given you all of your friends and a lover and a second chance, when you felt everything had been taken from you! Mine...mine has not...And he will not give you anything...He will only continue to break you until you do what he wants...This is not the truth, Charlotte..." When he finished, his voice was weak, though he continued to stand tall in front of her.

"And what if I'm already broken?" she screamed. "There's nothing left of me for him to break! Nothing! I am nothing!"

I'm a shell. A shade. A worthless, soulless husk.

That's all, and nothing more.

[Castle Crashers]

"Charlotte, stop this! This is what he has told me for the last millions of years! Those exact same words! That I'm a tool and that's all I'll ever be! And now he's telling you that! He's trying to break you, the same way he has broken me!" Arael's voice cracked in the end, and he stood shaking in front of Charlotte, and he began to cry. "...He only wants to use you...Your God does not want to use you...Your God...your creator loves you...He has given you all of your friends and a lover and a second chance, when you felt everything had been taken from you! Mine...mine has not...And he will not give you anything...He will only continue to break you until you do what he wants...This is not the truth, Charlotte..." When he finished, his voice was weak, though he continued to stand tall in front of her.

"And what if I'm already broken?" she screamed. "There's nothing left of me for him to break! Nothing! I am nothing!"

I'm a shell. A shade. A worthless, soulless husk.

That's all, and nothing more.

"You're not broken!" Cade shouted, challenging the volume of her voice. "You're not nothing, you were always more than that! All these people who try to take you down and hurt you are only jealous because you managed to become something beautiful when they fell behind! Why can't you understand that, huh? Why can't you understand just how perfect you really are!?"

[Luminesa]

SOMEWHERE IN THE ALTERNATE WORLD

Thana remained hidden in the dimension somewhere, shrouded in darkness. He again refused to back down.

"You in fact did not make me. The Crown made me. I know Him and He knows me, and nothing in my mind could convince me that you are Him, because He ordered me here to investigate, to see why these planets were being destroyed, why people were dying the way they were, and why you seemed to be at the center of it. You have never shown me kindness, nor have you shown anyone else. You have only brought us here to serve you, and when we are done with that, you plan to throw us back in our own world. And finally...God does not make mistakes, little fiend. God never makes mistakes," he whispered, his voice echoing in space.

Finally, as one of the god's ravens was floating near the planet of the other deities, a swipe of a scythe from seemingly nowhere cut it in half, causing it to bleed. However, the figure holding the scythe was covered in the darkness, and after he attacked the raven, he disappeared.

"What have you done? Your pride has caused you to assume you are God and that you have any power over me. You do not seek to heal but to destroy. You do not seek peace but pain, watching as those you say you love are hurt around you, instead of helping them, because you see nothing wrong with their pain and you only have your own goals in mind. You do not even love, but hate, and your hatred follows you wherever you go...It is your trademark..."

The scythe appeared again, and it slashed apart another raven before disappearing.

"Just like your little ravens..."

Raven sighed, rubbing the sides of his temples through the mask, before dropping his hands, and flipping his hood up, drawing in a deep breath with a second sigh, before crouching low, and snapping his fingers, disappearing in a whirl of feathers, appearing right next to Thana, grabbing his throat, and picking him up by the throat with a single hand, eyes glowing bright white beneath the bird's skull mask, voice, shattering through the silent plane around them.

Oh, do puh-lease shut up, you annoying little edge-lord. We get it. Your a too-spooky-for-me Death Mage, scythe and all. But you know what? I tried to be nice. I asked you all, out of humbleness. I admitted my mistakes. But you? You sat and thought up pitiful ways to turn this towards your favor. And, I, the so called, "manipulative" one, still gave you another fucking chance. So you know what? I'm not gonna play "Mr. Nice-Guy" anymore. Now, I'm playing God.

He grinned, as the snapped his fingers, Thana's scythe disappearing, unraveling, out of existence, gone from space and time, as the sliced birds, re-formed, fluttering back to him, his corporeal form, becoming one of a ghostly visage of fluttering wings and beaks, a thousand glowing white eyes, burning, while he maintained a humanoid form, still gripping Thana.

I'm not a cruel God. So you've got one last chance. One last chance, to confess your lies. So, repeat after me. "Our father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name..."

"YOU ARE NOT MY FATHER."

Thana went into his alternate Semi-Mage form, with his mask and body turning into a skull and skeleton draped in dark-purple robes. By doing so, he gained another scythe and slashed Raven across the chest. He then kicked him back, and he stood in the whirlwind of feathers fearlessly. However, as he glared darkly at Raven, the feathers turned black and then faded to dust.

"I am not lying. You seek to make me look as though I am insane, so I will break under you. I will not break. The Crown would never say such vulgar things as you say, He is not crass and uncaring as you are, and He loves His children. You? You say you have made mistakes and you are sorry for them, but at the same time you refuse to say what those mistakes are. You are a proud little coward, and you are only fighting me because I am right, and you cannot bear the truth."

His eyes glowed purple, he raised his arms slightly. As he did so, his miasma spread in a whirlwind around him, with the unearthly sounds of wandering ghosts echoing mystically through space. Above him formed a huge grey visage of a grim reaper glaring down over Raven. When it spotted him, it slashed at him, cutting him across the face, down the chest, and across the collarbone, slicing through the bone.

Besides, that is not the Christian prayer of repentance. If you were truly God, you would have known the very prayer millions of your own followers pray to you every day."

[Charlia]

"And what if I'm already broken?" she screamed. "There's nothing left of me for him to break! Nothing! I am nothing!"

I'm a shell. A shade. A worthless, soulless husk.

That's all, and nothing more.

"You're not broken!" Cade shouted, challenging the volume of her voice. "You're not nothing, you were always more than that! All these people who try to take you down and hurt you are only jealous because you managed to become something beautiful when they fell behind! Why can't you understand that, huh? Why can't you understand just how perfect you really are!?"

The blood turned into real tears, streaming down her face.

"Because I'm scared," she admitted softly. "Happiness always leads to hurting. I don't want any more pain. Hope... hope is scary... it frightens me, Cade. I don't want to be hurt again. But every time I try to be happy, something always tries to drag me back down..."

[Luminesa]

"You're not broken!" Cade shouted, challenging the volume of her voice. "You're not nothing, you were always more than that! All these people who try to take you down and hurt you are only jealous because you managed to become something beautiful when they fell behind! Why can't you understand that, huh? Why can't you understand just how perfect you really are!?"

The blood turned into real tears, streaming down her face.

"Because I'm scared," she admitted softly. "Happiness always leads to hurting. I don't want any more pain. Hope... hope is scary... it frightens me, Cade. I don't want to be hurt again. But every time I try to be happy, something always tries to drag me back down..."

"Then don't let it drag you down," Hamiri told her, putting a hand on her shoulder, "whatever this creep told you, he doesn't matter. He's a psycho who likes to watch people suffer. At least, that's what I got from listening to all this. I promise you, you're not who he says you are. We love you, Charlotte, and we want you to love yourself, too."

[Castle Crashers]

"You're not broken!" Cade shouted, challenging the volume of her voice. "You're not nothing, you were always more than that! All these people who try to take you down and hurt you are only jealous because you managed to become something beautiful when they fell behind! Why can't you understand that, huh? Why can't you understand just how perfect you really are!?"

The blood turned into real tears, streaming down her face.

"Because I'm scared," she admitted softly. "Happiness always leads to hurting. I don't want any more pain. Hope... hope is scary... it frightens me, Cade. I don't want to be hurt again. But every time I try to be happy, something always tries to drag me back down..."

He sighed and crouched infront of her, taking her hands in his as he looked up to her. "That's why you have me now, Charlotte..." He said gently. "I'm here to pull you back up when you're being dragged down, to hold you when you're scared, to scare away the darkness...that's why you have me...I'm here to protect you so you can be happy without the pain..."

[Charlia]

The blood turned into real tears, streaming down her face.

"Because I'm scared," she admitted softly. "Happiness always leads to hurting. I don't want any more pain. Hope... hope is scary... it frightens me, Cade. I don't want to be hurt again. But every time I try to be happy, something always tries to drag me back down..."

He sighed and crouched infront of her, taking her hands in his as he looked up to her. "That's why you have me now, Charlotte..." He said gently. "I'm here to pull you back up when you're being dragged down, to hold you when you're scared, to scare away the darkness...that's why you have me...I'm here to protect you so you can be happy without the pain..."

She went slowly to her knees, and then hugged him tightly, sobbing, but smiling through the tears.

As if there was hope for the first time in what felt like years.

She still had hope.