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Entry tags:
- -event,
- alfyn greengrass,
- alhaitham,
- benedikta harman,
- cidolfus telamon,
- clive rosfield,
- darin altway,
- dehya,
- dion lesage,
- dongfang qingcang,
- faris scherwiz,
- gale dekarios,
- graha tia,
- izuku midoriya,
- jill warrick,
- joshua rosfield,
- kaveh,
- midadol telamon,
- miriam,
- rem tokimiya,
- roxas,
- sherlock holmes,
- therion,
- zack fair,
- zelda
« player event » 🌪️ the eye of the storm
Who: Garuda & YOU.
Status: Open log.
Where: Eltrut, Nogard.
What: Benedikta Harman has primed into Garuda, and is wreaking havoc on the Leviathans.
Warnings: Violence, Final Fantasy XVI spoilers.
"The Warden of the Wind. She takes the form of a fearful harpy, summoning storms and tearing into the flesh of her prey with hawklike talons. Such is the Eikon's frenzy for destruction that even allies of the Dominant of the day are wont to begin fleeing the battlefield when dark clouds gather overhead."
Status: Open log.
Where: Eltrut, Nogard.
What: Benedikta Harman has primed into Garuda, and is wreaking havoc on the Leviathans.
Warnings: Violence, Final Fantasy XVI spoilers.
The morning of May the 4th starts out like any other: calm waters, clear blue skies, ships coming and going from their ports. However, all of that is about to change—and abruptly—as Benedikta Harman soars over the ocean after learning the painful truth about the fate of Cidolfus, and of herself. Her wrath now unbound and unmatched, all coming to a head as her aether bursts at the seams, a storm gathers on the horizon. With every angry beat of her wings, the skies turn a dark, eerie green, the winds grow stronger, and Garuda's voice is louder as laughter rings clearer for the first time since that one fateful dawn...
Her wings are tired, her face stings with the burn of sharp tears and sharper winds that follow after her, but she does not stop. She cannot. Any other day, she would never make it this far, but her body and the air are dense with her aether that she can fly farther and faster than she has ever managed—in no particular direction, so long as it is a direction away from him. Away from the place where she thought home could be. How naive she was to think that anywhere could be; how ignorant of her to have lit even the smallest spark of hope that things could be any different than before.
Reckless to think that trusting anyone, especially after a whole life of never affording to, would end in anything but deceit.
They all leave. They always leave.
Just like they had then, six years ago on that fateful night in Stonhyrr, those claws of betrayal coil tight around her throat and sink deep into flesh. Only this time, who is there to catch her?
The thought of that wide, open freedom that always followed Cidolfus wheresoever he went frightened her to no end. To her, it meant the unknown that came with running away, being whisked on the back of the winds, to a place where she would not know if, when next she landed, there would be a ground beneath her feet. His betrayal left her on her back once before, and she had been fool enough to take that risk again. Six years in an empty pursuit in his absence, chasing what she thought to be stability, power, and even love in another—her king, touch-starved and hunting any warmth that she could find, is what had her listening to the promises he whispered into her ear again. It is what made her take that plunge into that vast unknown, made her lean into his easy-going benevolence...
And look at where it has led her.
Back then, she had King Barnabas to pull her back on her feet. He would show her a better world, through what they both knew to be empty platitudes, and hearts that did not belong to the other, but she would be loyal. She would be good. She would be everything that Cid could not be. She would do his bidding to prove to him—and most importantly, to the rest of the world, and to herself—that she could be valuable. Powerful. Yet, what she thought was love, she realised in hindsight, was nothing more than a passion for his insurmountable power. A stable place above all the rest who thought they could cut her down. And it was his power that gripped her like a vise—she feared him, and yet, she was still loyal.
Look at what trust and loyalty have wrought.
Destined to loneliness and desperation.
Falling, falling...
Alone and afraid, a wrath now unbound as she soars over the bone dragon's head. Fumbling in the dark, she is trying to catch the pieces of herself that have shattered and are now being scattered into the wind—how the fuck is she supposed to put herself back together now?
A tool for love. A way to atone for his past sins. A way to "save her" where he could not before, and to fulfill a promise he could not uphold the first time. To make up for past mistakes so that he may now live with himself. Because that was all she was, wasn't she? A remnant, a ghost of a broken past that haunted him.
A tool for war. Even in death, she was nothing more than that. The king that she pledged her utmost fealty to then saw fit to use her however he wanted. Her body was desecrated and turned into an instrument to fuel the war between cruel men and crueler gods. Nothing more than a vessel for power. Nothing more than Garuda.
Falling...
So why does she refuse her? Why has she been so afraid of her? She should embrace her Eikon again. Become one with her once more, all fangs and no mercy, because that was all she was ever seen as: a source of power, of redemption, but they were not her own. They were never to be her own.
Tighter, the claws squeeze, and Benedikta screams and screams until she can no longer breathe. Until it is no longer her own screams, but Garuda's.
This wretched world... With wretched people...
Liars. Maggots. All of them. They all knew, and they lied.
She is afraid, but she is angry, and she has learned that it is easier to let in the rage than it is the fear. It was at Garuda's hand that she had died before, but that would not happen this time, that voice promises her. Garuda will protect her, swathe her in her comforting winds and rip apart everything that has and could hurt her.
The sky above Nogard falls dark, almost black. The waters rage as the wind abruptly picks up, lightning cracks, and a violent, swirling gale descends, only growing.
Let me help you. Let us show them what happens when they hurt you. Again and again...
If only Barnabas could see her now in all her strength. All power coursing through her pulsing aether, not an ounce of humanity left. This is what he wanted, isn't it?
She can at least take solace in the fact that Cidolfus is here. He could not keep his promise, could not save her, and instead, he lied to her, deceived her. In return, she will hate and hurt with all her love. She will let the fury take her. She will tear it all apart, and he will have to watch, knowing that he did this.
So much for your fucking redemption now.
DIE, DIE... DIE...
And from that whirling gale, she emerges. No longer is it Benedikta at the eye of the storm, but the true Warden of the Wind, the Eikon, Garuda, a reckless harpy with four wings wider than any bird's, claws that could split a man open in a single swipe, and fangs that could rip flesh from bone. With them all bared, her laughter echoes across the sea and sky.
Freedom. She is untethered, let out of the cage that Benedikta chained her in for so long.
And she will ravage this world in her name. Now fall...
Benedikta & Garuda's Wrath (Final Fantasy XVI spoilers)
Reckless to think that trusting anyone, especially after a whole life of never affording to, would end in anything but deceit.
They all leave. They always leave.
Just like they had then, six years ago on that fateful night in Stonhyrr, those claws of betrayal coil tight around her throat and sink deep into flesh. Only this time, who is there to catch her?
The thought of that wide, open freedom that always followed Cidolfus wheresoever he went frightened her to no end. To her, it meant the unknown that came with running away, being whisked on the back of the winds, to a place where she would not know if, when next she landed, there would be a ground beneath her feet. His betrayal left her on her back once before, and she had been fool enough to take that risk again. Six years in an empty pursuit in his absence, chasing what she thought to be stability, power, and even love in another—her king, touch-starved and hunting any warmth that she could find, is what had her listening to the promises he whispered into her ear again. It is what made her take that plunge into that vast unknown, made her lean into his easy-going benevolence...
And look at where it has led her.
Look at what trust and loyalty have wrought.
Destined to loneliness and desperation.
Falling, falling...
Alone and afraid, a wrath now unbound as she soars over the bone dragon's head. Fumbling in the dark, she is trying to catch the pieces of herself that have shattered and are now being scattered into the wind—how the fuck is she supposed to put herself back together now?
A tool for war. Even in death, she was nothing more than that. The king that she pledged her utmost fealty to then saw fit to use her however he wanted. Her body was desecrated and turned into an instrument to fuel the war between cruel men and crueler gods. Nothing more than a vessel for power. Nothing more than Garuda.
Falling...
So why does she refuse her? Why has she been so afraid of her? She should embrace her Eikon again. Become one with her once more, all fangs and no mercy, because that was all she was ever seen as: a source of power, of redemption, but they were not her own. They were never to be her own.
Tighter, the claws squeeze, and Benedikta screams and screams until she can no longer breathe. Until it is no longer her own screams, but Garuda's.
This wretched world... With wretched people...
The sky above Nogard falls dark, almost black. The waters rage as the wind abruptly picks up, lightning cracks, and a violent, swirling gale descends, only growing.
If only Barnabas could see her now in all her strength. All power coursing through her pulsing aether, not an ounce of humanity left. This is what he wanted, isn't it?
She can at least take solace in the fact that Cidolfus is here. He could not keep his promise, could not save her, and instead, he lied to her, deceived her. In return, she will hate and hurt with all her love. She will let the fury take her. She will tear it all apart, and he will have to watch, knowing that he did this.
So much for your fucking redemption now.
DIE, DIE... DIE...
Freedom. She is untethered, let out of the cage that Benedikta chained her in for so long.
And she will ravage this world in her name. Now fall...
WEATHERING THE STORMS
The moment that Nogard senses that something is amiss, its flesh will reform to protect itself and the villages within from the worst of the storms. While the Leviathan does get battered and the winds persist even after its body takes shape, Fang and its docks will be saved from the tidal surges that are bound to come and, upon seeing Garuda take off in the direction of Eltrut, the dragon will follow after her, roaring across the seas to send a signal of warning to the others to either flee or shield.
Heeding its call, the Naughtilust and Norhpip will retreat while Elah comes to their aid. Paladins will be encouraged by Elah to assist with rescue efforts—brave the storms and head out to sea to help. Those who do not wish to face the harpy's wrath can take refuge on the whale's back. But it will be Eltrut that will receive the brunt of Garuda's attacks, and where her magic will be most potent, the build-up of her aether coming to a head when she lands on the turtle's back.
Harsh, hurricane-like winds will assault Eltrut, and with them, a sense of dread and trickles of sadness fall upon the Leviathan. With Eltrut docked at an island, it's easier to see what is about to happen: the tide recedes, and on the horizon, the shadow of a giant tsunami wave guided by the wind approaches. While Eltrut can shield itself with its bubble, it will still need some help!
Using whatever magic is available—and necessary—everyone will have to work together to help Eltrut withstand the worst of it and, when the tide hits, it's best to be holding onto something, or someone, as Eltrut will be knocked around a bit before stabilising. Unfortunately, with the water's far too choppy to swim in, everyone will have to wait it out and work together to reduce the magic, and hope that someone comes along soon to take care of the harpy that keeps tearing through its shields.
With their homes partially destroyed by the massive wave, some of the merfolk have come to aid not only their own that have been washed up onto land, but those who hope to alleviate the stress on the Leviathans, whether it be rescue efforts or fighting off the birds and winged sharks. They have offered their herd of seahorses for people to ride on, but they are a bit temperamental, especially with all the chaos, so they will need to be calmed first before they can be ridden.
All threads will be worth 4 points.
( Bonus ♫ )
Heeding its call, the Naughtilust and Norhpip will retreat while Elah comes to their aid. Paladins will be encouraged by Elah to assist with rescue efforts—brave the storms and head out to sea to help. Those who do not wish to face the harpy's wrath can take refuge on the whale's back. But it will be Eltrut that will receive the brunt of Garuda's attacks, and where her magic will be most potent, the build-up of her aether coming to a head when she lands on the turtle's back.
Harsh, hurricane-like winds will assault Eltrut, and with them, a sense of dread and trickles of sadness fall upon the Leviathan. With Eltrut docked at an island, it's easier to see what is about to happen: the tide recedes, and on the horizon, the shadow of a giant tsunami wave guided by the wind approaches. While Eltrut can shield itself with its bubble, it will still need some help!
Using whatever magic is available—and necessary—everyone will have to work together to help Eltrut withstand the worst of it and, when the tide hits, it's best to be holding onto something, or someone, as Eltrut will be knocked around a bit before stabilising. Unfortunately, with the water's far too choppy to swim in, everyone will have to wait it out and work together to reduce the magic, and hope that someone comes along soon to take care of the harpy that keeps tearing through its shields.
🏝️ On Land. For those stuck on Eltrut or Nogard, the storms are just as fierce. With winds strong enough to rip the trees from their roots, shatter glass, and throw large objects around, it is imperative that people help each other find shelter and safety, and those with shielding magic use it, especially around the docks. Help the locals, assist the merfolk that have been washed up back into the water. There are weaponsmiths asking anyone with a set of hands to help craft things like harpoons and arrows that will be useful against the creatures that now roam the Leviathans.
🌊 Out at Sea. Crews will need to batten down the hatches and work together to weather the storms as well as rescue anyone else, including locals, who might be out there. Though, it is recommended that people try to outrun them as that is one big wave that is heading for Eltrut. Thanks to Garuda's magic, some of the wildlife have grown wings, and sharks are chomping down on boats and even leaping onto decks in search of a good meal.
☁️ In the Air. Male gryphons from The Hideaway's island will arrive to aid those who wish to take to the skies for search and rescue efforts. They are still wary and a bit erratic from being attacked earlier on the island, so working together to earn their trust will be imperative. Offering them food or small gifts such as feathers or beads will appease them, as well as protecting them from oncoming attacks from their fellow birdkin. Once in the air, riding on gryphon-back will take some getting used to, as they will always travel in pairs, and will employ tactical maneuvers to dodge the debris and any creatures that attack.
🌊 Out at Sea. Crews will need to batten down the hatches and work together to weather the storms as well as rescue anyone else, including locals, who might be out there. Though, it is recommended that people try to outrun them as that is one big wave that is heading for Eltrut. Thanks to Garuda's magic, some of the wildlife have grown wings, and sharks are chomping down on boats and even leaping onto decks in search of a good meal.
☁️ In the Air. Male gryphons from The Hideaway's island will arrive to aid those who wish to take to the skies for search and rescue efforts. They are still wary and a bit erratic from being attacked earlier on the island, so working together to earn their trust will be imperative. Offering them food or small gifts such as feathers or beads will appease them, as well as protecting them from oncoming attacks from their fellow birdkin. Once in the air, riding on gryphon-back will take some getting used to, as they will always travel in pairs, and will employ tactical maneuvers to dodge the debris and any creatures that attack.
With their homes partially destroyed by the massive wave, some of the merfolk have come to aid not only their own that have been washed up onto land, but those who hope to alleviate the stress on the Leviathans, whether it be rescue efforts or fighting off the birds and winged sharks. They have offered their herd of seahorses for people to ride on, but they are a bit temperamental, especially with all the chaos, so they will need to be calmed first before they can be ridden.
All threads will be worth 4 points.
( Bonus ♫ )
BIRDS OF A FEATHER
It isn't just the violent skies and seas that pose a problem. Garuda's magic has somehow affected all of the birdkin and bird folk alike across Nogard and Eltrut. What once were peaceful, friendly creatures have now turned on others, as well as each other, and will be attacking and fighting on the streets.
More than that, while some birds have transformed into menacing beasts large enough to pick up a whole person—sometimes two—there are also dozens and dozens of Wind Elementals that have spawned all around the Leviathans, all of them under the command of Benedikta's sisters, Chirada and Suparna, the strongest of them. They hardly ever leave one another's side, but when they are provoked, they will not hesitate to attack. To make matters worse, when threatened, they will tether their aether to each other to make themselves more immune and to regenerate. They are fast, agile, with wide wingspans and talons that will rip anyone apart if they manage to catch them. They are weak to lightning magic and can be held off by the plumes found throughout the forest, and destroying them will buy time for those fighting the smaller Egis to defeat them... However, be warned, they will only respawn again elsewhere, and will keep doing so until Garuda is chased away. (Note: this video of their boss fight can be referred to if needed.)
There will occasionally be white plumes that will flutter down from the skies. These feathers are from Garuda's wings, and gathering them will provide a ward to protect one from harm for a short period of time. They can shield against one hit or act as a repellent to the birds and the Egis before they are destroyed. Search for them in the treetops and the vines, gather them, and they should be shared so that everyone can make it out of the forest safely. If anyone is able to collect enough of them, they will have healing wind properties that can mend small wounds and cuts.
For those at The Roost (the Hideaway crew's island), the gryphons will be up in arms, not only because one of their nests has been destroyed, but because Benedikta's uncontrollable magic has bled into them, too. The female gryphons, led by the Matriarch, will attack the males, and a fight will break out among them. The males will flee down into the Roost to seek help, but the females will surely soon follow. Killing the gryphons is not an option, and anyone who threatens the lives of the females will have to get through the males in spite of this war, so they will need to be chased off for now. In return, the males will allow anyone to ride on their backs and carry them to Eltrut should they wish to help there.
All threads will be worth 4 points.
( Bonus ♫ )
More than that, while some birds have transformed into menacing beasts large enough to pick up a whole person—sometimes two—there are also dozens and dozens of Wind Elementals that have spawned all around the Leviathans, all of them under the command of Benedikta's sisters, Chirada and Suparna, the strongest of them. They hardly ever leave one another's side, but when they are provoked, they will not hesitate to attack. To make matters worse, when threatened, they will tether their aether to each other to make themselves more immune and to regenerate. They are fast, agile, with wide wingspans and talons that will rip anyone apart if they manage to catch them. They are weak to lightning magic and can be held off by the plumes found throughout the forest, and destroying them will buy time for those fighting the smaller Egis to defeat them... However, be warned, they will only respawn again elsewhere, and will keep doing so until Garuda is chased away. (Note: this video of their boss fight can be referred to if needed.)
🐦 Birds and Birdfolk. Beware of feathered friends! Garuda's magic has made both the birds of the islands and the bird folk particularly aggressive. Bird folk will be quick to anger, and those caught up in the worst of the effects will attack anyone unprovoked for so much as looking at them. The only cure for this is taking out the Wind Elementals that have spawned, as they are what sustains Garuda's magic. In the meantime, until they can be destroyed, luring them further away and outside of town or finding a humane way to knock them out for the time being will work to help alleviate the threats at the eye of the storm. Cats will also be effective against them. Be careful, however—the birds are capable of stealing the breath of anyone who wanders too close, strangling them through lack of air.
🌪️ Wind Elementals. Minions of Garuda herself, these Wind Egis will indiscriminately pick out anyone they find to assault with their large wings, sharpened talons, and powerful wind magic. Men will be carried out to sea where they will attempt to drown them, while women will be carried to "safety" in the nests that the birds have built within the forests. Defeating them is the key to weakening Garuda's magic, so take them out by any means necessary. Note: Players are free to use and control the Egis however they want.
🪹 Within the Nest. For those caught in the nest, escaping on the ground will be the only way out as horrific winged beasts and Egis guard the skies. Beneath the trees, people will need to carve out a path through the messy vines and thorns. It will be safer with a partner, as all sorts of horrors lurk. Eldritch hummingbirds, cassowary, magpies, human-sized hawkmoths, guineafowl, pelicans, and a strange breed of geese that are prepared to feed on or tear apart anyone who might threaten their nest.
🌪️ Wind Elementals. Minions of Garuda herself, these Wind Egis will indiscriminately pick out anyone they find to assault with their large wings, sharpened talons, and powerful wind magic. Men will be carried out to sea where they will attempt to drown them, while women will be carried to "safety" in the nests that the birds have built within the forests. Defeating them is the key to weakening Garuda's magic, so take them out by any means necessary. Note: Players are free to use and control the Egis however they want.
🪹 Within the Nest. For those caught in the nest, escaping on the ground will be the only way out as horrific winged beasts and Egis guard the skies. Beneath the trees, people will need to carve out a path through the messy vines and thorns. It will be safer with a partner, as all sorts of horrors lurk. Eldritch hummingbirds, cassowary, magpies, human-sized hawkmoths, guineafowl, pelicans, and a strange breed of geese that are prepared to feed on or tear apart anyone who might threaten their nest.
There will occasionally be white plumes that will flutter down from the skies. These feathers are from Garuda's wings, and gathering them will provide a ward to protect one from harm for a short period of time. They can shield against one hit or act as a repellent to the birds and the Egis before they are destroyed. Search for them in the treetops and the vines, gather them, and they should be shared so that everyone can make it out of the forest safely. If anyone is able to collect enough of them, they will have healing wind properties that can mend small wounds and cuts.
For those at The Roost (the Hideaway crew's island), the gryphons will be up in arms, not only because one of their nests has been destroyed, but because Benedikta's uncontrollable magic has bled into them, too. The female gryphons, led by the Matriarch, will attack the males, and a fight will break out among them. The males will flee down into the Roost to seek help, but the females will surely soon follow. Killing the gryphons is not an option, and anyone who threatens the lives of the females will have to get through the males in spite of this war, so they will need to be chased off for now. In return, the males will allow anyone to ride on their backs and carry them to Eltrut should they wish to help there.
All threads will be worth 4 points.
( Bonus ♫ )
THE LADY OF THE WIND
For those few who are brave enough to encounter Garuda and live to tell the tale, and those fewer who are daring enough to chase her down seeking to clip the vengeful harpy's wings, they will likely not have to look very far. Garuda is a mischievous and wicked Eikon, chaotic, as if she were made of the winds and storms herself, and through all of the destruction she brings, she also finds enjoyment in taunting others, sometimes swooping down or over one's head just to toy with those on the ground before flying off again.
If she is feeling particularly naughty, she may even kidnap a few, scooping them up in her claws and flying them off someplace else... just for fun. Whether it is the nest, into the sky, out to sea, who knows, but one thing is for certain... one does not want to be engaged with her for long, lest they wish to feel just how sharp her claws and fangs truly are...
Try as they might, however, it will take the might of another full Eikon to take her down, and the battles will end as Ramuh, the Warden of Thunder, makes his appearance and chases her away from Eltrut, and they will face off against one another over the ocean.
Note: This portion of the log is closed to those who signed up for an encounter with Garuda. Please leave a starter at your designated top level down below! They will be worth 6 points.
( Bonus ♫ )
If she is feeling particularly naughty, she may even kidnap a few, scooping them up in her claws and flying them off someplace else... just for fun. Whether it is the nest, into the sky, out to sea, who knows, but one thing is for certain... one does not want to be engaged with her for long, lest they wish to feel just how sharp her claws and fangs truly are...
Try as they might, however, it will take the might of another full Eikon to take her down, and the battles will end as Ramuh, the Warden of Thunder, makes his appearance and chases her away from Eltrut, and they will face off against one another over the ocean.
Note: This portion of the log is closed to those who signed up for an encounter with Garuda. Please leave a starter at your designated top level down below! They will be worth 6 points.
( Bonus ♫ )
This is the designated log for a player-run (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
garudas) mini-event. After revelations came about surrounding her fate, Benedikta Harman primed into her full Eikon, Garuda, and she is now ravaging the seas, skies, and land.
Players are free to make their own top levels and tag around, and those who have signed up to face Garuda can leave their starters beneath their designated top levels. Information can be found on the OOC post and please direct any questions here. New players/characters are free to tag into this as well, as this is all occurring after their arrival.
The event and its effects will last less than one day ICly and will have a resolution, so there will be no bearing on anything afterward. Any post-Garuda events will be on the main monthly log that will be going up, including Leviathan clean-up and helping the mermaids after parts of their underwater dwelling were ruined by the wave that hit Eltrut.
garudas) mini-event. After revelations came about surrounding her fate, Benedikta Harman primed into her full Eikon, Garuda, and she is now ravaging the seas, skies, and land.Players are free to make their own top levels and tag around, and those who have signed up to face Garuda can leave their starters beneath their designated top levels. Information can be found on the OOC post and please direct any questions here. New players/characters are free to tag into this as well, as this is all occurring after their arrival.
The event and its effects will last less than one day ICly and will have a resolution, so there will be no bearing on anything afterward. Any post-Garuda events will be on the main monthly log that will be going up, including Leviathan clean-up and helping the mermaids after parts of their underwater dwelling were ruined by the wave that hit Eltrut.
no subject
And the last of Benedikta.]
Benedikta!
[But this time it will be different. This time he will protect everything they've managed to remake, managed to build anew. Protect this symbol of their future.]
Fight it, Benna!
[One he refuses to give up as once more as levin and wind whip around them.]
I'm right here!
[Just like how he refuses to give up on her.]
no subject
A thought that breaks when she hears him calling for Benedikta again.
Her eyes spark with fury, and though they glow, there's a darkness that descends upon them.
You had your chance!
Her claw squeezes around the staff...
Your words won't reach her!
... snaps it in half with a resounding CRACK that dissolves it into aether.
You had your chance...
And in one fell swoop, that taloned wing tosses him sky-high.
You promised her!
She follows right after, a single beat of her wings all she needs to soar. Faster, faster, and faster still until—
You promised me, Cidolfus—!
—a clawed hand sweeps upwards, all five sharpened points ripping through the cloth of his robe to impale him through the first point that she can reach in his side. Garuda keeps it there as she flies up and up, carrying them into the black storm clouds that roil above.]
no subject
Yet he doesn't.
Doesn't even after she impales him with those talons, a grueling, painful scream escaping him as the pain ripples through from Ramuh to his core still inside. He knows that no matter what injuries he suffers as Ramuh, they can heal—so long he has the aether to do so. So long as he still has the strength for it. Something he didn't have when he was last struck in this very same spot she managed to hit.
But even if he does, even if this time he could survive even this, he doesn't activate that regenerative spell. Instead, as he's dragged higher and higher, he lets that pain seep deeper and deeper, driven by the words from Benedikta.
Promised.
So many promises he made to her, and how many did he really manage to keep?
And yet, until the very end...]
no subject
But as those abrupt memories pass through again, there's that same notable shift in the wind—so sudden that Garuda shakes her head in her confusion—as the aether warms. He'll feel it, no doubt, because he's felt it so many times before. A brush of a breeze, a kiss, a whisper on the backs of the wind that carry a message only for him. It still carries that very same chaos that she bears in the very depths of her being because that is just who she is, but it is her chaos... Not Garuda's.
As if in response to him...
...Cidolfus...?
...Cidolfus...
—DIE!!!
Garuda breaks in between them with another deafening shriek, shattering Benedikta's consciousness away again, and with her claws still impaled within him, she lifts Ramuh up over her head.]
no subject
...And that feeling and acknowledgement of her love for him, something he could easily see and sense through all her gestures and unsaid words, but only now is getting any sense of true confirmation of it.
Benedikta.
Her name echoes through his mind, seeking hers before the winds around them suddenly swell, a renewewed surge of energy as his levin crackles around him along with the growling roar he releases as Ramuh's eyes flash and his hands reach down and grip the talon impaling him.
But he doesn't try to pull it out.
Instead the nails dig into the skin, cutting into it to the bone as he latches on. He won't let her be rid of him so easily, and as a surge of lightning races down that leg, a memory flows along with it, one he deliberately tries to send to test.
To see if she truly can hear his thoughts.
Benedikta!
As he continues to keep hold onto Garuda, wrapping the Eikon with the warmth of his levin, levin that seeks not to hurt but to dig into the Eikon and search for the woman trapped inside, he doesn't wish on Metia or anything else. No, he already learned he can't rely on something else, nor can he just think about it and hope it just comes true.
No, he will make this happen.
And he will get her out of this fucking harpy if it's the last thing he does.]
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Get away. Get away!
And rattled inside is Benedikta, the threads of her consciousness weaving back together with every beat of these memories. She's aware, though not completely, of what is going on, but there is no way for her to stop it, too locked into what she sees filling her mind and her vision that she does not know the struggle that is happening outside between the Eikons.
Why are you showing me this?
Whether he can hear her or not, she doesn't know, but the thought spills out into the aether anyway.
How he waited for her on the dock, begged her to choose him, and how she never came. That sense of defeat and dread, of sadness as she can feel those cold winds brush up against her. Why were you waiting for me when you left?
How he stood on that ridge overlooking the Strait of Autha, an old journal in his hands. One that she instantly recognizes as one of his own. He flips through it, and the things inside are familiar—writings and drabbles in his scratchy handwriting, a pressed flower, and a sketch... of her?
No—!
He's burning it away, the paper around the forget-me-not turning black, and there's a spike of panic. He would burn away a reminder of her when she held onto the very last thing that she had of him? Still carried it around in her pocket, looked at it as she wished at Metia... But then, he stops.
Cidolfus...?
At odds with those inner thoughts, Garuda flails, twisting them around and around now, her wings flapping furiously to try and shake him off of her, but the Eikon is as stubborn as the man. He refuses to let go.
Thunder cracks, and it's Benedikta's turn to scream now as she tries to shove those thoughts as far back as she can manage. It's filled with anguish, her voice crumbling under the weight of this torment that she is being put through.
You lied to me... You knew all along, and you lied... After everything that I did... all those times I thought you were almost dead... You were gone, all along.
Yet, you knew! You knew everything...!
The wind grows denser, stronger, churning as if it is trying to consume every last drop of water in the sea, and Garuda screeches, breaking the images apart yet again.
Make it stop!]
1/2
As they spin in this death spiral, that grip only tightening as he pulls Garuda in, forces those talons to dig in deeper, Cid does something he's rarely ever done before.
Ramuh!
He calls upon his Eikon.
I know you're in here, I know you've been watching and listening all this time. Now help me you old bastard!
While outside there is a storm, inside everything feels calm, like caught in the eye of a hurricane, and it may very well be like that even around the island, everything besieged by the twisting gales and lashing rain. But within, while Cid holds onto the fraying tether connecting him to Benedikta, he desperately listens for, desperately feels for the Eikon he's lived most of his life harboring. An Eikon he once held great pride in before it eventually grew in resentment after the reality of their purpose was revealed to him. An Eikon who gave him powers at a cost, but he learned to accept and use it in any way he could that would still inspire hope to others. To try and change not only his own fate and the fate of others, but perhaps Ramuh's as well.
And just when his patience is about to wear thin from the growing silence—
Stubborn fool.
The voice, old and weathered like time itself rumbles through like thunder, and Cid can feel the levin coursing through him as it pours into him. Feels it swelling from somewhere deep in his core and ready to pour out at his own command, power he instinctively knows that he would likely never be able to wield to such extent again.
Power he knows comes at a high price, but one he is willing to pay.
That's why you chose me, isn't it?
Only a low rumble in response, but he knows. With Ramuh now giving him all the power he can handle, perhaps even more, Cid once more refocuses outward where he continues to hold onto Garuda, Ramuh's glowing blue eyes now blazing as Eikon and Dominant glare down at the screeching harpy.]
Now I need you—
[Lightning rips through the skies overhead, his aether pouring out as the purple and blue bolts of levin crackle and zap around him as his grip tightens.]
—to shut up!
[With a deafening roar, he concentrates all his remaining aether, staking his life in this one final act. An act to pull Benedikta free—and save her from herself.
Gigantic bolts of lightning descend down from the black clouds above, cascading down in an instantaneous rush as if to cast judgment upon the, engulfing not only the entirety of Garuda, but himself as well. Despite being practically immune to the damage as it is of his own making, this particular one is strong enough for him to feel the burning heat of that lightning, the surge of power that threatens to consume him.
Yet it's not just lightning that is striking down—it's his voice.
His memories.
All of them aimed for Benedikta trapped within.]
2/2 { spoilers inside }
His words echo around her with that low, heavy weight as the fragmented memories flow around it. Like flashes of lightning, images appear. The blood in his hand after their duel in the chapel. His landing after depriming from Ramuah after stopping Ifrit, more blood expelled as he coughs into his hand and that weariness that overtakes him for a moment before he moves forward. And then...
I wanted to save you...wanted to change the world to grant your wish... But in the end, I never did.
As the visions fade, more ripple through, a storm of memories that continue to rush in along with his voice.
I didn't have much time left.
With the Imperial army engaged with the Royalists, Oriflamme was open...so I decided to take a chance.
A decision spurned both by her death and his own impending one.
Once more the memories blur as his voice continues to carry through around her.
It would be my last.
I didn't have much left in me, not enough to heal myself or even spark a light. I knew the entire left side of my body was gone. And what little I did have left—
I had to make sure it went into good hands.
I thought that would be it...but then...
Warmth will filter in with the new array of memories.
I found you again.
As the memories continue, showing them gradually growing closer again, his voice breaks over it...
...I knew this was our second life, our second chance.
...but it's starting to fade, a hint of weariness now present as the memories also begin to flicker.
Whether you want to still have that life with me, I leave to you. My feelings for you won't change. But at the very least, you should take this chance for yourself, Benna.
There's a shudder in the air, a low rumble as traces of his levin can be felt, still, always still seeking her. Reaching for her. Wanting her.
...Spread your wings...and live not as what you are...
His voice pushes through with determined strength, needing to make this point clear.
...But who you are.
A woman capable of tearing down those who offend her, yet still having enough heart to save those who are suffering. A woman who remains strong and standing tall, yet still manages to be shy and clumsy. A woman who carries herself with all the pride and arrogance in the world, yet still can smile and laugh freely, can feel joy.
A woman who has gone through more hardships than no one should, but has the strength to pull herself up.
A woman he has come to love not once, but twice.
A woman he promised to save, and this time he will.
Come back, Benna.
Even if it's the last thing he ever does.
Come back to me.
Please.
Let's go home.]
1/3.
And oh, how kind of him to grace her with his presence.
His company only spurs her on, her claws and wings lashing out at him to free her, every move of hers careless and hasty, desperate to free herself before it comes. Still, he doesn't lessen his hold, even as she scratches and tears at his robes, even as the wind continues to whip and spin them around together, carrying them higher and higher...
But then it's too late.
That sharp, agonising touch of lightning rains down around them and envelops her, burning every feather, every bone, paralysing her as they tumble through the clouds. Garuda screams and screams, the pain too much to take in silence, and she strains against the heat. It's without much thought—or any at all—that what is left of her own aether begins to gather around her, purple mixing with green as she clambers for her life. In an effort to defend herself, she charges up her own move, and tornadoes begin to seethe while green aether tumbles from the clouds with no rhyme or reason for where they fall and explode, bursting against Ramuh's back and Garuda's wings. Her shrieks are so piercing that they could breach the clouds and break the storm apart, but it holds fast, and her cries splinter through the air, carrying out as far as they will reach for the world to hear her torment.
And from within, she screams too, the pain unbearable. She cries, she shouts, she begs for him to stop because not even Garuda can protect her from the lightning.
But it is not nearly half as painful as the things that he is forced to witness flickering right before her eyes. More of his memories...
The sight of her body lying on the ground the most jarring and terrifying of them all, and that knife cuts exceptionally deep. More than that, the things that happen after. How he wipes the blood from her face, how he sets the bloodied pendant on her chest, how he walks away from her with a new sense of resolve—one that she can feel down to her marrow.
She doesn't understand what's happening or why he is showing her this, or if he even means to, but no matter how hard she tries to block him out from filtering into her consciousness, she can't. They keep coming, flickering one after the next: a plea with the man that she knew was the innkeeper in Lostwing to keep watch over her, and then a hill overlooking the sea at night, with Metia flickering above. "May you find the peace this world denied you..." he says, and Benedikta's heart sinks.
The world is cruel and vicious, and hell would surely be far, far worse.
But then it's his voice again that pulls her free from that thought, a brief respite in the onslaught of visions.
... You remembered.
He remembered her wish—the one that she murmured into his chest that night all those years ago.
All this time, I thought you'd forgotten.
Her voice responding to him is broken again by more, only this time, it is in a place that she doesn't recognize. His solar in his hideout, perhaps? But that is not what is important. She can feel him unleashing his grief, his anger, as if it were all her own.
No, she did not die the way she wanted to. She wanted to die as a human and not a monster, yes, but she did not want to die at all. She wanted to live. To just survive in a world that would always try to break her.
She can feel the pain pricking at his arm as if that were her own, too. The white patches of stone that she remembered seeing in their last weeks together were getting worse, the petrification crawling up over his whole forearm and to his elbow now. The sight of it chokes the air out of her lungs.
Chokes it out of Garuda's as she continues her struggle and scream outside of this feathered cage that Benedikta is caught in, fighting with her to stop the rush, but her Eikon grows weaker, both by way of the lightning that continues to charge around her, and those fighting back on Eltrut to diminish her power bit by bit.
A part of Benedikta wishes that she had been able to protect her, because the next thing she sees is the inside of the Sanctum of Drake's Head. Sees Ramuh, sees that abomination of a monster crawl out of seemingly nowhere. A monster that strikes fear in the deepest facets of her as she remembers the words that Ultima had uttered only a few short hours ago. But then she sees Cid falling, blood pooling beneath his limp body, sees him giving up his power the same way it was taken from her...
No, no. Stop... I don't want to—
Feels his life leave his body.
Stop showing me this!
She pleads and begs with him, the weight of grief bearing down in her voice, trying to shut it out, but it keeps going, one of her worst fears coming to pass.
It was never supposed to end like this.
For a long time, Benedikta thought the only way out of her grief was through turning it into anger and hatred. For a long time, she thought that she hated him. Loathed him. It was so much easier that way than admitting to the truth... that she just wanted to feel something for him still, even after he was long gone—easier than admitting that she still, after all those years, loved him. She would say that she wanted him dead, and for a single night, she did. If he were to die, it would be at her hand. That much she always knew.
Now?
The thought of him being gone, of there being nothing left for her to feel, scares her more than anything. Being empty and alone, loveless... it scares her more than that freedom ever did.
No—! Stop it, stop it, stop it!
But then, there's a warmth that suddenly washes over her. The sound of her own voice crying out for help. Her tumbling into his arms when he walked through that door on the Stormbringer the day that he would find her again. Memory after memory flickers by, as if it is her own life flashing in front of her eyes—each one of them so precious that she is afraid of Garuda tainting them. The flowers. The Ghoul's Moon. The dance on the beach of Ocard... Each memory carrying with it a new pulse of that same love that she has always felt.
Something within her snaps, and though she cannot grasp that control back, she at least becomes more aware of where she is.
...Cidolfus, I...
Her heart aches. It yearns. It rattles against the confines of this cage to return to him...]
2/3.
She wants to take it. She wants to have it... but she's scared. Terrified of what the world will be when she does. What she will wake up to. A world destroyed by her hand will not be a kind one to return to, and that is why she needed to bring it all to the ground. To bury it beneath the sea and in its remains. To ensure that there would be nothing left to hate her, or hurt her after what she had done in her anger and grief.
How is she supposed to trust anyone again, when the two men in her life that she had been loyal to and trusted would be the very same men that would betray her? Cidolfus left, and then he lied. Barnabas used her. Defiled her even in death. What did her trust and her loyalty mean to anyone if that was what they did with it?
But somehow, some way, in one last effort to reach out to him before her aether disappears, it will be his turn to receive another onslaught of memories—of her own—as if responding to his. Telling him that he has, once again, found her somewhere in the endless dark void that she's been falling in.
Though, these are not sad ones filled with loss and grief. Rather, they are her most precious. Ones filled with a spark of hope that he lit up in her life. Ones when he taught her that it was okay to be happy and to want things. Ones that taught her that there were people in this world who could love and not ask for anything in return. The memories that taught her that it was better to live life to its fullest rather than spending it being afraid to die...
However, all good things must come to an end, and that warmth dissipates into something colder. Darker.
Sadder.
"Let's go home."
Cidolfus, please...make it stop...
She doesn't want this anymore. She wants to go home...]
3/3.
Garuda's eyes flicker blue for but a moment.
In the eye of the storm, there is a sudden shift, and the whistling of the churning gales is all she hears.
She's falling... falling... tumbling in the cold embrace of her winds. Her body is weak, tired, almost as if she's dissolved into aether completely—her soul, her consciousness, her very existence fading from this world for good...
But she clings onto it for dear life, desperate not to let go.
I don't want to die again. I don't want to die a monster... I want to live... as human...
Little does she realise that it is not a claw that clutches him any longer, but a hand. A small, frail hand with a grip so weak that she fears she might float away into the storm. A small hand covered in his blood...
Garuda's screams are no more.
There is only silence that falls upon this world, that calm that comes after the storm as the Eikon's power has diminished, and she has freed her Dominant from her clutches.
And slowly, at the centre of it all, Benedikta Harman opens her eyes...]
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Finally awake, are you?
[Despite his chest covered in blood, and his mouth just as bloody from the amount that spilled after losing his Eikon form, he still remains as languid and easy going as ever. As if all the worries and anxiety from watching her, waiting, never happened. As if he really had been confident that she would come back.
After he used all of his powers, his consciousness returned briefly to see through Ramuh's eyes the way Garuda struggled, her feathers charred and body writhing under the intense heat of the lightning. While he focused on Benedikta, was Ramuh himself also punishing Garuda? Was this a glimpse of the Eikon's fury? Or was Ramuh also trying to snap Garuda to her senses?
He doesn't know nor does he want to. Instead he feels Benedikta reaching out to him again, her memories once more filling his mind. He can't help but feel that painful nostalgia, the quiet warmth that each one stirs within him. Of all those reminders of why he first fell in love with her to begin with—even when he had tried so hard to keep her at arm's length. Tried so hard yet couldn't in the end.
It's around then he witnesses that flash of blue in Garuda's eyes before the aether begins to disperse. It's only then is there a swell of wind, as if the storm clouds and gales are exhaling, releasing the tension around them. And it's only then does he hear one last rumble of thunder and ripple of lightning before his own aether dissipates into the winds.
They fall, with him turned to be below her so that he's staring up, but his hand is fast on her arm, and although they should be racing to the ground, their fall is slowed by the remaining winds, perhaps from the remnants of their aether. In the meanwhile his body is besieged by a cough so strong it wracks his entire body, blood spilling from his mouth as that familiarity returns. Of the pain and exhaustion from using his powers, a feeling he had started to become accustomed to not having. He wonders if his arm has petrified again, but he doesn't try to look now. Instead he focuses on the woman, Eikon no longer, still unconscious and falling with him.
And fortunately, he doesn't have to wait long for amber green eyes to flutter open and stare at him a daze. Doesn't have to wait long before he can finally smile again in relief.
Because he doesn't have much more time—]
...Welcome back.
[—before he no longer feels the strength to hold out any longer. As if carried away by that relief in seeing her again, all the adrenaline, whatever remaining power and will remaining fades and all that's left is an exhausted, empty shell. The grip on her arm loosens as his eyes flutter close, that bright gleam that once was there fading as his body tilts back and gravity latches onto him, a gap forming between them as he plummets to the ground.
Hand still held out as if reaching for her.]
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Except it is anything but that.
It takes a moment for her to realize what is happening—where exactly they are and that they have started to fall. She cannot clearly recall how they got here or what happened when they did, but when she feels the warm touch of something on her hands, when she sees the smearing of blood along his lips and on his clothes...]
What—? Cidolfus?
[What happened? Why is he bleeding? Why is there blood on her hand? Is it his blood? Her own?
A thousand questions race through her mind, and her heart sinks and her eyes widen in paralyzed horror, and as they start to fall, faster and faster, their aether trickling away faster than they can hold onto it so that gravity can take its hold, Benedikta screams his name again, her voice strained and barely there.
Still, the only thing she can think to do is call for him anyway.]
Cidolfus!
[She sees light fading from his eyes as they close, she feels his energy leaving him in the way the air starts to clear, and she feels the pull of the ground as it gains on them, everything reappearing as they plunge through the worst of the storm, revealing the wreckage of the world below. Wreckage that she—Garuda—has caused.
Her body is fighting tooth and nail right now to clamber for purchase in the air, but not even the winds are in her favour right now. If nothing else, they work against her, sending them both plummeting to the beach... But she cannot let it happen.
She will not.
Please...
She sobs desperately, tears burning in her eyes, screaming until she feels like her lungs might break.
Please, just one more...
Everything in her body feels as if it's on fire then, like someone's lit a flame under her skin and it burns right through her. Her aether surges to life in one final bid to save him—to save both of them—and just as she stretches out her hand to reach for his...]
Garuda, please!
[There's a pulse, a mocking laugh, and as small as it is, it's enough.
Wings unfurl from her back, but the pain that shoots across her spine and her shoulders is immeasurable. She cries out against it, everything tensing, but it doesn't matter.
It doesn't matter, as she finally takes hold of his hand and pulls him to her, tucking him in close to her body, her forehead pressed to his. Her wings beat like that of an injured bird desperate to fly, but it slows them down enough that by the time they finally reach the ground not long after, white feathers in a flurry from the wind, she adjusts so that she takes the brunt of their landing on the sandy beach, her wings and the green streaks across her hair and skin disappearing when she immediately rolls him off of her, ignoring the soreness and pain that quickly spreads through her own body.
She is covered now in his blood as it already stains her clothes, her face, her hair, but she hovers over him, sobbing and panicking and trying to catch her breath.]
Cidolfus, wake up—!
[And then, she screams at him.]
Wake up!
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Perhaps it's small blessings it's not a fatal wound, or perhaps Ramuh did a small favor and did use some of that aether to heal the most vital areas, but it's clear if nothing is done soon, he may not ever awaken at all...]
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And it's then that she slowly begins to realize, broken images trickling back into her mind as her awareness grows. Garuda throwing him into the sky and chasing after him, the sound of wood splintering all around them as the winds roared, and then... all five clawed fingers sweeping up to catch Ramuh, and him holding onto her as she struggled to free herself, keeping them locked together. Connected.
For a moment, it's like the whole world crumbles beneath her, and she breaks with a sob.]
... I did this.
[Garuda. Benedikta. They were one in the same in that moment, her own consciousness commanded by the Eikon's.]
No, no, no... I...
[She backs off of him, falling back on the sand, her hands trembling uncontrollably as she stares, horrified, at the blood. A sight that would not have terrified her so a long time ago, but when it is his, and she is covered nearly head-to-toe with it, wet against her cheeks and her fingertips...]
I... I can fix this...
[She does not want to lose him again. Cannot lose him again. Not after all the strides that they have taken to mend what was broken. And they can remain that way—he can hate her and she can hate him with everything they have for the rest of time, but not having him there at all is a fate far worse. She could live with it, knowing that he was still living and breathing and feeling something for her too, no matter what it was.
He cannot die.]
You cannot leave me...
[And, in case he didn't hear her, she screams again.]
I won't let you!
["You sure? You shouldn't be pushing yourself."
Hands trembling uncontrollably, she brings them over the wound, hovering, as she tries to pull in whatever magic she can. From her aether, from Garuda if there is anything left of her, from her tattoo... From the winds themselves. Anything...
She's desperate.
"An 'intention' sort of thing."
When nothing comes immediately, she sobs, tears blurring her vision as she lowers her hands closer to his flesh.
"... Do you truly think I could?"]
Come on! Why the fuck won't you work!?
["Aye, I do. Just like you did for me."
Focusing what little energy she has left into her fingertips, magic begins to filter out in the form of warm, caressing winds, pouring from the tattoo spread across her aching back.
"Aye, that's it."
They wash over the wound, though she cannot tell if it's doing anything with how bloodied up he is, but she watches him carefully, blinking her eyes tight to push away the tears.]
Please work... Please work...
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And after several forever seeming seconds—]
...Ben...
[A hoarse whisper so faint it could be easily missed and carried by the winds, his lips barely moving as some color returns to his face.]
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Perhaps it is her desperation that is making it work as intended. That is what he had said, wasn't it? That it was all about intention...
A thought that doesn't linger for very long as she scrambles closer to hover over him.]
Cidolfus...
[Her voice is as shaky as her hands still are, but it's a mere whisper broken by another sob.]
Stop. Don't talk.
[At least not until she's managed to heal through him...]
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Ah, fuck—!
[Now that he was aware, the searing pain from his wound spreads out like splinters, and a hand instinctively rises to go to it.]
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I said stop it.
[Her voice is firm yet broken. Lost, even. As if she is here but someplace far away at the same time and has no idea where. She still doesn't know how well the winds are healing, or if they are at all, but the fact that he's now able to move is a good sign, right?
She is still upset with him, she suddenly realizes, and that carries into her grip, in the way her eyes flare behind the tears, but she has more important matters right now than the hundreds of things that she wishes she could say... And she is now caught between wanting to say them all to him, and wanting to flee and never see him again.]
I—I don't know if it's working...
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Thinking this, he just stares up at her, several thoughts swimming through the pain and swirling in his mind.
She's back. He actually managed to pull her back. He had wondered if what he saw up there had just been a dream, but here she is, trying to heal him again. Here, covered in his blood...
Truthfully, he thought he was going to die after all this. He did everything he did mindful that he may not survive to see the result. What would happen after he doesn't know. He had heard death worked funny for riftfarers, but not the full details. Nor would he have wanted to test it. Not like he wants to die again.
But if it were to save her...if it would help her live, then he would gladly give it. Even if he knew she would hate him and scorn him for it. Even if he knew she wouldn't have wanted it.]
...I think so.
[He manages a low groan as he continues to cycle through that familiar pain of having a hole in him and momentary relief from her winds.]
But don't push it...
[He knows she's running on empty herself. To use up everything on him...]
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[The way that she screams it at him is visceral and sudden, her hands coming down over him for a moment to brace herself against her own voice as it echoes across the beach.]
I did this to you, you don't get a fucking say in it!
[How dare he tell her not to push it. How dare he tell her how to do this, or what to do at all! He has no right...
As the magic spills out of her more freely, or rather, as uncontrolled as her tears do.]
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His lips part to call out to her, but instead he just reaches up to press his palm up against her face, thumb brushing away the tears. And that's all he does, his eyes just staring up at her, watching her, gaze heavy with his own emotions of guilt and regret.]
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She wants to keep him there, hold his hand there until it grew warm again, interlock her fingers with his and beg him to promise her that everything will be okay—that they will be okay... but would she believe him? Would she want to hear his answer, regardless of what it is?
And slowly, that magic begins to fade, her already limited reserves drying up...
She cannot bring herself to look at him anymore, but when she at least speaks again, her voice is quiet, but heavy with the weight of guilt, anger, confusion... Everything.]
...Why did you do it...
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...I had a promise to keep.
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[She scoffs quietly through her sob, bringing her eyes to look him in his, her expression steeled as she tries to keep her roiling emotions out of it. The sadness and longing from knowing that he had remembered her wish. That he had left that pendant with her until the very end. That anger knowing that he broke it all the moment that he decided he would tell her nothing...]
A promise that got you killed. And then nearly again.
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💚💜 fin.