imeeji_frontstage | Flowers of Heaven II: Star of Bethlehem

Who: lost(?) idols
Where: ???? a mysterious courtyard
When: day 490

[ You awaken to the feeling of cool stone at your back, and a night sky overhead.

All around is a courtyard—a wide circle of marble tile, alternating black and white, interspersed with stone benches and flowerbeds and ornamental trees, all lit by the lambent gleam of strangely vivid starlight.

It is beautiful. And it is decaying. The stone is cracked; the flowers wild and overflowing between the cracked stone; the trees bent and twisted with age, the ground around them littered with fallen fruit. There is a fountain in the center of this space, but it too is broken-down: the water sits stagnant, and nothing remains of the design except a basin and the shattered base of a once-golden sculpture.

—And surrounding it all are not walls, but dense mounds of kudzu, climbing over itself until it towers as high as any watchtower.

How did you get here?
The last thing you vaguely recall is a sudden fit of drowsiness. There’s no sign of any guide or host around, and your powers don’t currently work either. In fact, if you have any corruptions, whether mental or physical, they too are … gone? No, perhaps that's not quite it; you can still feel them—faint, like a phantom limb. Invisible, and unable to affect you.
But there is one notable exception to the rule: all wings, corruption-induced or not, remain in place, as natural as the starlight.

There are other idols around you, all waking up the same way. Is this meant to be some kind of game…? ]

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We'll see. Who knows, maybe I'll end up graduating before then.

But just in case... could I get your name? I'm Izanagi... or maybe Hizumi would be better.

This one is called Haniel—and thank you, Hizumi. You have earned this one's gratitude.

If you obtain your escape from the forces of the Enemy, this one will be glad as well. But you have been very kind.

Haniel, then. It's nice to meet you.

And, well - I think just about everyone here's pretty sick of hell's rule, so helping out's a no brainer.

Praise be—then, of course, this one will do what she can.

And for what there is about to come—this one must apologize, for it will be difficult. You know this. But... if this is possible, then all manner of things are.

Hey, better to suffer with a purpose than just for someone else's entertainment, right?

...certainly so. Blessings be upon you, Hizumi-who-is-called Izanagi.

Is there anything else you can possibly tell me? About this place, or what happened when Hell took over.

This place... this one knows little of, admittedly. This one was... pressed for time, when finding one who she could secret away from those beneath the throne of Vengeance who keep watch over the fallen.

This one knows precious little of the Enemy's workings, as well, for... well. This one had given up the cause.

This ritual... would it only help one other angel again, or...?

At once, yes. It's very personal, you see.

So even with all these people, we can only help one at a time?

[Hn...]

Only in this specific sense. Take heart, for there are many more ways to do good!

Got any suggestions?

Be kind and generous with one's fellows, for one thing, but you have already helped a great deal. For the knowledge you have imparted to this one is invaluable.

You make it sound so simple...

Well, I've got nothing better to do, so I'll lend a hand where I can.

This one is most grateful. If you see an opportunity—of course, do not put yourself in danger on this one's account! But, this one will continue to hope that more openings will appear.

Or more allies. That chess game didn't look like it went too well.

No... no. I believe... this fellow of mine was a soldier, so I'm sure... they wanted to believe that there was a way to win.

Were they?

Is it someone us idols might know about? Or have heard about, maybe?

Um—

...this one isn't really sure. In fact—well, this one... doesn't actually know them very well.

No? A friend of a friend?

[...]

Or maybe someone quite high up?

Er... more like different department, this one thinks. But—

...well, this one's choices were limited?

I guess that would be the case, huh?

Do they have a name?

Er, well, certainly, since all those among the heavenly host were named and numbered as the stars by the Most High, but—

...well, there used to be quite a lot of us.

[ she does not remember. ]

...So even you have no idea, huh?

Re: EXPLORE THE COURTYARD?

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