Picking up the pieces

[Katya Drăculea]

Before she could fully protest they were back in Sylthanus once more. Looking towards the black palace, she averted her eyes as if the sight of such a thing offended her now. This was the last place she needed to be to put her plans in motion, she knew exactly what she needed. The problem was that only Micah could guide here where she needed to go and she doubted that he could do what needed to be done. Because she was damned, half vampire, her soul would not go to heaven if she died. But if someone killed her and an angel claimed her soul she could bypass that little natural rule. Perhaps it was time to fully let her brother in on what she meant when she asked if the angels could aid her.

"Micah, brother," she started. She corrected herself, hoping to gain his sympathies. "..I need you to guide my soul to heaven. I learned of a method that could purge me of my tainted blood a long time ago. The problem is I don't have a ride upstairs if I were to die. I need you to claim my soul and take me before the others." she explained. They had to see her cause as a worthy one, even if no one knew why she was doing it. Before all of this she was a demonic brat who destroyed things at a whim but losing her mother made her realize this was the way to go. Micah's words penetrated her armor and made her feel the one thing she could not defeat- guilt.

There was a rather long pause as she let him take in what she was asking. It meant that someone had to cut her down, if she killed herself she would be denied her entry. Could he slay one of his mothers precious children? Most likely not but she knew that he could not dispute the idea of her becoming like him, like their mother. If she was going to save this family she could not do it with the taint of her fathers blood coursing through her body. She needed to open her soul to the light and experience true love and joy. Only then could she hold together what her mother had left to her, pick up the mantle she had been passed.

"I can't help them as I am. If I am going to trust in you, I need you to trust in me and beg them to help me." she pleaded. Katya did not plead with anyone which meant she was quite serious. This plan of hers could not be pulled off without his aid and she knew that. Whatever he wanted from her in return she would grant it if it were within her ability to do so. "I will do whatever you ask of me if you can do this one thing." she said.

---

@micah Adam

[Deleted]

Micah looked towards the dreary palace dryly. It certainly did not suit his tastes but it was not his home to criticize. Micah listened to Katya’s proposal and chuckled amusingly at her request. He did not believe she was serious. “It is good to see that your sense of humor has improved since we first met. But none the less your proposal as absurd as it is, is unnecessary.” Micah looked up to the sky as if he was viewing the gates of heaven from Yalanze and held a big grin on his face. “The ArchAngels are convening as we speak though not primarily for your ascension. Something significant has happened, something that has effected the cosmos itself which is taking precedence so things might take slightly longer than anticipated, but my guess is that we will be informed shortly. Patience is a virtue you know.”

Micah looked back at Katya cheerfully “Do you not wish to inform your father and brother that you made it off the battlefield in one piece and are well? Or that you will be leaving for a short while to heaven?” Micah looked back towards the dark palace. “Even if you didn’t like it, it has been your home for most of your life, perhaps you have some things you want to gather if you do not plan to stay after we are finished?" Micah folded his arms and looked across the landscape astounded as the decay and death of the land. How could anyone survive here was a mystery to him let alone his mother, a being of light brighter than even himself, and for millennia. Micah held a pleased smile as he paced a bit around not getting a chance to truly take in the land his first time there, having gone directly to his mother in the palace.

“Perhaps you could give me a tour to pass the time. I only got to see your parents chamber and it was brief before we were ambushed.” Micah sighed faintly at the memory wondering if he had done more at that very moment if he could have prevented so much death and chaos, and of course saved his mother’s life. He shook off the memory quickly keeping in high spirits. “Your plan is flawed, normally the angel of death and his chosen delegates who goes where when they die if not personally himself, but your father has not exactly embraced his heavenly role. Even if I guided your soul to heaven it is not up to me whether or not you would remain, it is important we do not rush things or act on assumption, this kind of matter doesn’t come with second chances if things do not go as planned. Best to wait for instructions.”

Micah gently rested one of his hands on Katyas shoulder reassuringly “But I promise you, the power of heaven is greater than any single being god or not, the Archangels will not require you to be deceased in order for this transcendence. No doubt when it happens you will shed your mortal form and rise to heaven where you will be shaped into an angel worthy of our mother’s grace. And from that moment on, you will never be alone, the light will always be within you and you will be protected from the evils even this place holds. Not that I would allow any harm to come to you now regardless.” Micah removed his hand and and put his hands behind his back gripping his forearms together as he stepped away contemplating proudly all the good Katya could accomplish here.
"Heaven is a wondrous place. I have not found a place on Yalanze even half as remarkable. You will love seeing it, it is quite the experience."

[Katya Drăculea]

"Patience is not something I can afford. This family moves quick and there is no doubt that the second offensive is underway. I aim to stop this now." she said firmly. It was what Marina would have wanted and she would see this last act accomplished. Despite how she treated her mother, no one deserved to die the way that she had died. Yet instead of being angry with the man who delivered the blow she was mad at her own father. He should have let their mother go a long time ago, she did not belong here with the rest of this darkness. In the end she paid the price, not Vlad, nor Heaven and that infuriated her. They played her like she was some sort of pawn in a game and her mother was so eager to help she would never see this.

There was a pause as she considered going to the castle to see them. However her expression turned to disgust, as she was she was unable to feel compassion for either of them. When she tried to tap into her own feelings all she felt was rage and the same blood lust that had burned her up her entire life. Even being born a vampire did not guarantee that you would be able to handle the side effects and the need to kill. "I'm sure they will get on without me. Ingeras is a stranger to me, as is my father. In this form I have nothing useful to say to them. This is why I need to be changed and now." she reiterated to him. She was insistent on this change and new deep inside that this would work.

"If we wait for them to come to a decision we'll be waiting for ages. You can take me there, you can force the change and make them decide. They care for you, they will not see you disappointed." she said. Then she turned away from Micah for a moment and took two steps away from him. "There is someone I need to speak to and I should like you to do so with me." she said as she closed her eyes. Without waiting for a reply she started to enact her spell with the remaining dragons blood in her system acting as a beacon to him. With her power she would call out to Samael with all of her willpower, yet it was different than a summon. She could not force him to answer, he had to be willing to come to them himself.

"Samael, I would speak with you." she said aloud into the perpetual night that was Sylthanus.

[Adam]

Samael stood in the secret room that Jon used to privately speak with others. As he finished his business with Jon, he stood where he would be sent back to the camp, with the remaining soldiers heading back from Badrul. But as he stood, waiting on Jon to use the device again, he was suddenly teleported again, and this time through the will of another that wished to speak with him. Suddenly, Samael was back in a forest, but it was not the same forest. It was dark, and cold and filled with enough evil that it filled Samael’s nostrils with the stench. Before him stood two familiar faces: Katya and her brother, Micha. Although he stood still, and quiet for a moment as he saw them, not even moving towards his blade to draw, he was thinking of a defense plan in case they sought revenge against the murder of their mother.

This night was turning into one of great interest and potential danger as looked into the eyes of both Katya and Micha, suddenly noticing some resemblance between the two. However, there seemed to be no real fury in their eyes, but rather something else all together. What it was, he was unsure of, but it did not seem that they wanted to kill him. What he would say to them just then, he did not know, but he knew that he would at least try to talk to them, or fight them trying to reason with them if it came to it. He just hoped it did not come to that for once. Particularly that he felt some guilt for killing their mother, even if she caused it.

“Princess Draculea, Micha,” he acknowledged both accordingly, “I hope you have not summoned me for retribution. The Queen’s death was not my intention, but I understand the anger if you do.”

[Deleted]

Micah was unsure if his sister realized fully what she was asking. She seemed to have planned out how things would go but she didn’t realize how little Micha had to do with the workings of heaven. He wondered if she had any idea how powerful and how much influence their mother had and how vastly different she was compared to an angel like himself. Even with Michas help restoring some of her energy in her chamber it was really just a jump start, in terms of bringing her to her full power it was not something he could have done. Mari was on a different level. It was something akin to powering a car with a double A battery. Their mother might have gotten away with what she wanted much easier than he could as she was an Archangel and knew more of those responsible with things of this nature.

Micah was not even a higher angel like his father, and though he was fine with taking certain risks that might get him into a little bit of trouble, like participating in the battle they were in to some degree, he was not comfortable with throwing Katya’s very life at the mercy of another even with it being her choice as he was not sure she understood the choice she was making as even the lore available to her could not provide all the information on what she wanted. Did she realize that in choosing to be an angel of heaven, she would have duties to heaven, not Sylthanis, not herself, and not even her family as she once knew it or might one day have? There were limits.
Even Vlad would not be allowed to drift independently for long.

And the light only helps shine out the darkness, make it retreat, but it cannot actually destroy it. There were many fallen angels that proved this fact, Katya would still need to face her inner demons after the transformation, and she would need to understand that there were consequences as well with the rewards of her grace. She was half mortal, she was afforded the luxury of free will, individuality and independence. Angels rarely found individuality among themselves, they tended to be quit dull actually outside of the higher echelon. But even those like Micah that found themselves free thinking were given little independence, and their free will was only the length of the duties assigned to them.

Otherwise Micah would have done much more in their battle than he had, but he simply was not allowed, and if he tried to act too much outside the boundary of what was allowed then he would have been forcibly recalled to heaven against his will. There were always things that he had leeway with, extinguishing true evil, amoral forces, or lifeless foes who have escaped their judgement was always allotted. But mettle in the affairs of mortals, even for the greater good, was greatly looked down upon for someone like Micah as it was not his job to so directly interfere. Even destroying truly bad people was not allowed, as long as they had time to repent then they were afforded the freedom to choose their path, and when it was finally time then it was not Micah’s place to judge.

Even if Micah wished revenge upon Samael he would never be allowed to act upon it. He would be pulled away to heaven before Micah had a chance to swing a blade or throw a spear. Samael was a living creature with a soul that would be judged in due time and to his peoples own designated paradise or torment, until then he had the gift of choosing a path he wished right or wrong. Micah was rather young for an angel, he mostly served the Archangels, and he rarely saw the entirety of heaven as his duties usually fell outside of heaven. Micah crossed his arms as he patiently endured his sister’s urgency to not wait. He watched as she summoned Samael not quite sure what she was doing.

Micah hoped she was not seeking more conflict but it was her choice. As Samael questioned why he was called and insisted that neither of them should attempt vengeance. Micah held a genuine smile and spoke kindly in tone. “I have already forgiven you for what happened, I seek no retribution nor is it my place to carry out such an act even if I did, it is you that will need to repent and live with what has happened. And it is you who will be judged accordingly when your time on this plane ends no matter how long that might be. But the creator works in mysterious ways, who can predict the reason for what really transpired on the battlefield that day, there is usually a greater plan at work that not even I am privy to seeing." Micah gestured to shake Samaels hand in peace and added.

"I admittedly have found a fondness for your kind during my time here in Yalanze Samael to be honest and find dragons to be quite interesting. A remarkable species especially the Celestials without question. I wished my time and duties allowed for better circumstances to learn more.  However the darker experience I have found from this war has not soured my view on your kind and as for you, I hold no hatred or fury in my heart this day towards you my friend for you are neither evil nor wicked. I wish you a long and happy life Samael but I am afraid you will have to ask my sister why you were called here at this time.” Micah turned to Katya as it was her actions and desire for Samael to be here and it was she who would have the answers both Samael and Micah wondered.

[Katya Drăculea]

As her summoning spell took hold she quickly prepared her next spell. Muttering a few words in a language most would not understand, a circle of ruins formed upon her stomach. Beneath her dress a blue light shined through the cloth as she stood before the dragon's commander. Her bright silver eyes bore into him silently assessing the man once more before she made her request of him. There was only one reason she was here tonight, a task she had to see through to the end to honor what her mother stood for. Seeing such a strong being struck down showed her that even the most indestructible of creatures could have their spark stamped out beneath another's boot.

"I have not called you here for that purpose, no," she started, crossing her hands over her stomach. Taking a few steps towards him she wore a strange smile. It was perhaps odd to see such an expression when staring down the one who's mother your sword felled. "..I need you to complete a spell of mine. If there is a soul in that body of yours at all you will oblige my request." she said with an unwavering voice. She did not care how she sounded when speaking to someone of his position, she would have what she wanted. She needed the same blade to strike her down or it would all be for naught.

Unlacing the strings that held her robe in place she looked him right in the eyes. "I need you to complete the sacrifice, I need you to slip your blade into the center of the runes." she explained. She was not going to give him much of a choice in the matter. If he did not oblige her she would attack him and force his hand in the matter. Surely he was eager to strike another blow at the heart of his enemy. "Strike me from this world, wound my father and I will assure your victory when my spell comes to fruition." she said as her robe hit the ground. At this point the runes had spread to cover her entire torso, carving themselves into her very flesh.

"Only your blade can finish my spell. Your blade, anointed in the blood of an Arch Angel, highest of heavens soldiers." she said. She would give him a moment to think over what she said to him but in the end she knew he would make the right choice. Once her soul was separated from her mortal body she would resonate like a beacon. With her hopes resting on reaching the ears of the Arch Angels, her spell would keep her from passing on to the Abyss before she wished it.

[Adam]

Samael stood before the Princess, bewildered why she would summon him. However, when she spoke of not wishing retribution, his head cocked to the side and he looked at her for a moment. “What do you ask of me?” he questioned, eyebrow raised as the request sounded dire and serious. He was not against obliging the Princess a request, as she had been the most respectable of her family, to offer Samael secrets pertaining to her father. However, even Samael did not necessarily trust her words. Even in Badrul, when she was willing to present herself to the Ice Clan, he had contingencies planned to ensure that she would not betray him. It was only fair that he ensured that this would not cause worry.

Suddenly, he watched as she unlaced her robe and spoke her plea to him. As she asked for this request, he was already unsheathing his blade, as if this was but another request from someone to die. She spoke of his blade and how it struck down her mother, but as she revealed that he had killed one of the highest ranking breed of angels, he looked back at her and let out a sigh. “I will oblige your request under the pretense that your death is not going to stick for very long, so understand that through this, I will require your help in the future against your father, and expect you to be as true to your word as you had planned for when we were in Badrul..” It was all he said to her before he raised his blade. Looking in her eyes, he felt that through this, he could only help her spell but so much, and he could try to make it as painless as possible.

Approaching Katya, he raised his blade, approaching her with moderate speed. Placing his free hand on her shoulder, he pulled his blade back before looking her in the eyes once more. “When this spell takes its full effect, find me at Castle Dreadnought, my guards will ensure you automatic passage to my throne room.” With that, his sword flew forward, striking Katya through the runes on her body, and out the other end. Years upon years of training and combat allowed Samael the ability to inflict wounds that could range from painless to excrutiating. She felt nothing as the blade went through her besides, possibly, a sudden “sleep” that fell over her. “It is done…” he uttered under his breath before suddenly feeling a pull bringing him back to the Camp Site once again. So much had happened this night. So many new allegiances. So many new allies.

[Katya Drăculea]

As he made his approach the girl steeled herself for what was to come. While she had experienced pain before, this spell was going to be like fire in her veins. Were there any other way to achieve her desired end goal she would have seized it but this was the only path to her deepest desire. With a smile she watched as he drew his blade without hesitation, were this another life she would have found that quality attractive; he was quite the warrior. "I will seek you out the moment my body as reformed." she reiterated to try and put his weary mind at ease.

Once the blade ran through her body she was overcome by a powerful sensation, yet it was not pain. Every rune on her body started to glow a bright golden color as her corpse fell to the ground. Yet before it could even hit the ground her body would lift it's self back off the ground, standing naked in the middle of the forest. Before long her feet left the ground, the glow overcoming her eyes to the point where it shone in beams to the sky. Light spewed from her mouth, finger tips, and toes before her entire body became one solid glow.

Then came the explosion, a pillar of light fired straight into the sky illuminating Sylthanus as if it were the sunniest of beaches. Every tree in a three mile radius was scorched by holy fire as the spell passed it's apex and started to vanish from the area. Yet her soul now stood a beacon to all angels on Yalanze- rescue me it cried.