Ashton glanced south, Beloved tapped her foot impatiently. "He is taking so long, he does not want to know, the longer he takes, the more delayed our songs." She stated as her eyes glowed. She wasn't looking at the forest. No, they would help this surprisingly brave human. Drawing the attention of the tainted to give him a chance, how could anyone turn down Kokono's request?
Ashton smiled, "It took him great courage, into the light, give him a moment, this is his fight." Ashton watched as Duke Hammer took a deep breath… then descended.
Beloved turned to Nix, holding her hand out. "Will you follow where I lead?"
Ashton took her hand laying a gentle kiss on her palm as he smiled with all the love he'd ever known. "Into the darkest depths, of the coldest sea."
Where only four took notice, a rift large enough for a dragon to pass through opened. An eagle, no larger than the smallest hummingbird perched on a twig. Instead of answering the call from under the graveyard, thousands of damned souls turned to the brilliant silver, white, and gold rift.
Ru narrowed his eyes as the damned souls took notice of Beloved's bait. Now, he would just ensure no one else took notice.
Beloved grinned as she burst into white fire. Her hand slipped from Nix's as she leapt onto the lake.
Sebastian thought she'd fall into the water… but she lightly stepped before running across the surface. No, running wasn't the word, glided, flowed, danced. It was probably the most beautiful sight he'd ever seen. All the while, with each step small ripples of white fire brought color back to the world. Unfortunately, that wasn't all her fire brought.
Ofelia watched as the copy of her daughter started to rise over the lake. As Lady Beloved sang her first note there was an eerie roar that shook the ground shook.
I'm listening to you
A song meant just for two
A question for you, not me
Can I be the voice of your symphony?
Well who'd have known
Wasn't silver red or gold
Wasn't fire or pride, after the rain subsides
Theres wind, the rainbow
Now that you're here
Don't just look, you have to hear
You're the god of wind, a hearts companion?
Dare you take the plunge?
Heart song for us
Just have to love, you can trust
Haven watched as she danced over the water's surface. That wasn't a spell, a racial trait. The white fire rippling out was purifying the taint in waves. Slowly bringing color with each pass. Haven belatedly realized more than half of the smaller birds were darting after her. Leaping into the white flames before gliding over the water. Each carrying… painted leaves? They only followed after Beloved, Nix was moving in tandem, but separately.
Haven glanced over Nix who was singing an entirely different song as he also stepped in the white flames. When the flames took hold, he started gliding over the water. Red flames rippling out, breaking down corruption that had already taken hold. Ahh, I see. One an invitation, the other reason.
(Beloved singing with golems, double columns not working so awkward formatting)
I'm watching you watch me,
The orchestra, tempered by your heartbeat
For you I'd sing heart song on repeat
Open up, show the rainbow in the sun
(Ashton singing alone)
So much more to the world than bad decisions
Love and trust, homes worth making
So don't you regret, love every moment
She wants more than red, silver, or gold
What she wants is more, your rainbow to soar
All the colors of the wind, or nothin
Don't have to guess, never regret
She deserves more than red, more than silver, more than gold
She deserves so much more, desires the rainbow
Haven narrowed his eyes as the leaves took on flame of color, the small birds waving the leaves like flags as they started to join Beloved in her song.
The voice of your symphony (golems)
Possible mother of your babies? (golems)
(Ashton singing alone)
Not going to lie
Kinda pricks my pride
Colors of the wind, over sun, over light
But what she wants is you
Haven crooked a smile as he started to slowly slither forward. Past the white flames, into the now purified water. As he kept his eyes on the birds, the damned started to arrive like bees to honey. Haven watched the earth shake as the bear wasn't far behind.
Sebastian watched as the giant snake's feathers absorbed the white fire. Unlike Lord Reece who had flames around his feet as he glided around, the snake god's feathers returned to their prior saturated color. The only flame along his spine. The further he entered the lake, the more clean water started washing the dulled colors away.
Calix pushed himself in front of the consort as dark wraiths started to circle overhead. His goosebumps were well justified as a chill descended. Calix honestly expected Lord Reece and Lady Beloved to do something about the additional company, but it was if the wraiths were so insignificant they couldn't even be bothered.
(Beloved singing with golems,)
We know times get rough
Sometimes words aren't enough
My voice echoes across the sky
For your rainbow, for you and I
(Ashton singing alone)
A heart song from you
All she needs, a love that's true
Haven started to follow just beneath the water's surface. He could stay above the water, but he'd cover most of the lake. When the birds started to glide over him, he rose so just his nose and spine breached the surface. Flames quickly took root in his feathers. Shielding him from the bound dead. Haven squinted as the first wave of the tainted went for the fake child.
A ring of white fire erupted as Beloved leapt over Haven's mostly submerged form. Nix slid beneath her as his own ring of red fire followed immediately after.
Sebastian held princess Samara closer as the bird started to chirp in time with Lady Beloved's song. Her ring of fire had… purified the wraiths. For a moment features of confused souls could be seen, until Lord Reece's fire… killed them? No… the souls were… freed.
Leonard was gripping Devlin so tightly, Devlin thought he might lose his arm. He'd seen it, the darkness had tried to flow back into the souls after less than a second, but Ashton's flame had broken the connection. Devlin was used to mage sight, seeing past the physical realm but this… this was a whole different level.
(Beloved singing with golems,)
I'm watching you watch me
Your orchestra, tempered by your heartbeat
For you I'd sing heart song on repeat
Open up, show the rainbow in the sun
(Ashton singing alone)
Who's to say we won't make bad decisions
Love and trust, our foundations
We never regret, love every moment
Why should she choose, you've nothing to lose
Will you make the leap, happiness for more than three
All the colors of the wind, love for all or nothin
You don't have to guess, what could possibly regret
She already has red, silver and gold
Why not be her rainbow?
Haven raised his head out of the water as a dragonkin soul approached. Not particularly large, even as it landed, the trees were passing through most of its body. Only the shoulders and head were tall enough to be seen. Haven hissed as the dragonkin roared in challenge.
Haven coiled his body as Beloved and Nix used his spine like a slide. He could feel their fires encircling his body as he flared his wings in warning. Dead or not, the dragonkin were not welcome.
Sebastian braced for impact as the ghostly dragon charged at the snake god. Unlike the tress its body passed through, its body started to catch white fire upon impact with the snake god. As the white flame took hold, red flames sprang forth.
Haven narrowed his eyes as the dragonkin recoiled. It was little more than a mindless beast, no, even a beast would have more sense as it charged forward once again. Haven wasted no time as he struck. He coiled himself around the rabid dragonkin, dragging it into the lake. All the while the birds continued their song as if nothing was happening. To be fair, the dragonkin would not have been able to reach the false light. Still, to even attempt such folly in his presence.
Sebastian held his breath as hundreds more wraiths started flooding into the lake. Following her highness's copy into the shimmering water. As they hit the water they rose like steam, cleansed of the taint… the madness. Only to be quickly engulfed by Lord Reece's fire, their ties to the land of the living truly severed.
Devlin watched as the dragon barely put up a fight. The snake god quickly tearing it to pieces. As the pieces fell they were first hit with waves of silver fire, then white, then finally red. The dragon itself wasn't a single being… as the white flames passed through dozens of souls were separated. Less than a heartbeat later the red flames quickly engulfed them. It had taken several pieces for him to even notice. Their coordination was… beautiful. If there was a better word, he didn't know it.
Sebastian watched as the dragon shrank in size. Eventually, it was little more than a man with dragon wings. Sebastian covered her highnesses eyes as the dark figure was squeezed to death. It wasn't until that moment that he noticed the Snake god's feathers didn't just have their color returned. They were shimmering… their reflection causing the lake to radiate like… a rainbow.
(Beloved singing with golems,)
The colors of the wind
Your orchestra within, my voice to sing
The colors of the rainbow
Through my voice, I hope will glow
The voice of your symphony
Possible mother of your babies
Voice of your symphony
(Ashton singing alone)
How could this possibly be a bad decision
Soar with the wind, love and trust to win
Nothing to regret, love you every moment
Was never to choose, between three or you
Haven flung the spectral body away as the birds found themselves once again on his face. He barely even noticed the bait rising. He watched as Beloved's body, covered in white fire, took on the colors all around them. His colors.
Devlin blinked… had he just seen… Randal through a rift???
(Beloved singing with golems,)
Vibrant colors of your heart
Symphony (golems)
Somewhere love has to start
Your babies (golems)
All the sounds, colors of the wind
Symphony (golems)
A voice for your orchestra within
All the babies (golems)
Voice of your symphony
So many babies!
(Ashton singing alone)
Wife to husband, red silver and gold
Just a few more colors to your rainbow
Yeah, more colors to your rainbow
Beloved gave Haven a beaming smile as she twirled. Showing off all his colors as her flames danced around, falling like colored snowflakes. All the wraiths in the area had been released. At the same time, she had the attention of all the bound dragonkin, and the bound dragon itself. None of the others could break the enchantments to answer her provocation, but she'd finished her show.
Ashton watched as Beloved fell to lay on her stomach, kicking her feet as she grinned at the nearly cross eyed snake. Ashton decided to do the same, soon all the golems joined them as Haven proceeded to leave the water. Even Kokono had returned from her visit to the Hammer graveyard.
Ashton smiled to himself as he felt Ru close the rift. The big softie, making sure all the loose ends were taken care of.
Haven paused long enough to feel the disturbance close. As he looked over the ignorant dragonkin, before he continued to coil around his dozen little birds. Of course, the little ones did not remain still, even though he'd removed the water from his feathers, they were still a bit damp. The ten small birds each found an area, then started drying his feathers with small bursts of hot air.
Ashton grinned as he sent a wave of heat over the snake's body. In truth, he could set the god on fire and it wouldn't even tickle. Still, he took great care to ensure each feather was warmed, then dried. His golems took to the great task of fixing the hundreds of thousands of feathers. Chirping in delight as they continued their search for the best.