Flowers of Heaven II: Star of Bethlehem

[rosetograce]

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…? ]

Comments

Re: EXPLORE THE COURTYARD?

[rosetograce]

Rather... the trials ahead are not for the faint of heart. Were there others sufficiently prepared, this one would prevail upon them, rather than imposing.

Ages ago, this one's fellows would enter the gardens of heaven to meditate and reflect when finding themselves insufficiently capable of their purpose, while those closest to their heart would burn incense, fast, and pray together, to begin the rite.

...apparently it can be approached in slightly different ways, though. This one knows not what modifications the Enemy made, when this one underwent the rites; this time, this one, er. Tried to gather some representative icons. But it is nothing to be trifled with, as what lies ahead is of great import!

Re: EXPLORE THE COURTYARD?

[childeishly]

...ah. [ so scraping the bottom of the barrel, but being kind of nice about it, got it. ]

What kind of incense?

[ childe leaves the tree and goes back over to her. ] Representative icons? And I beg to differ. If you want to help your friend you're going to have to share a little bit more than that. This is serious, is it not, and Celestia forbid this fails and a second undertaking must occur... [ he shakes his head. ] You can trust me.

Re: EXPLORE THE COURTYARD?

[rosetograce]

..."friend," is...

...well, there are a lot of angels in the celestial choir, you know?

[ listen would YOU know all your classmates in a college with like several thousand people ]

Re: EXPLORE THE COURTYARD?

[childeishly]

...comrade, then.

[ HE wouldn't know THEIR names, but his own classmates probably knew HIS name, since he beat them all up... regularly... ]

But let's get back on track. Can you tell me about the incense or the icons?

Re: EXPLORE THE COURTYARD?

[rosetograce]

Well—

...there are plenty of icons of ye the "idols" of Hell, after all.

[ did she make this ritual with

idol merch??? ]

Re: EXPLORE THE COURTYARD?

[childeishly]

[ he's temporarily at a loss for words. ]

[ please give him a minute. ]

And the incense? And don't tell me it was something like Old Spice...

Re: EXPLORE THE COURTYARD?

[rosetograce]

What is... well, certainly, there were spices involved, but this one does not know if they were particularly old? But rather, it is about... invoking the right state of mind. A dreaming, meditative state.

Though—what purpose do you have for such a rite, yourself?

Re: EXPLORE THE COURTYARD?

[childeishly]

What if this doesn't work?

What if it's not enough?

What if... we have to do it again?

Knowing what tools are needed for something like this is kind of necessary, don't you think, and helping your comrade is of the utmost importance, that's what you said, right, ..?

Re: EXPLORE THE COURTYARD?

[rosetograce]

True enough, but for the fact that within your cage, you willn't find any fallen members of the celestial choirs. Perhaps if you were to venture outside—but, then you would have a great many other problems first. Have you been to the throne of Lies, or the throne of Vengeance?

Re: EXPLORE THE COURTYARD?

[childeishly]

No, but I do have a way to access a little sliver of Heaven. And I thought we were just sort of sending them... good vibes, so to speak. I actually need them here, or nearby? [ hmmm! ] No. [ kind of, but only because he's been pieced together and seen lilith a few times. ]

Re: EXPLORE THE COURTYARD?

[rosetograce]

—what "sliver of heaven"?

Re: EXPLORE THE COURTYARD?

[childeishly]

I don't have all the details [ like, none. ] but there's a gaping hole in the production leading to what looks like a bit of Heaven. I could be wrong... [ lifts his hands up. ] I'll admit it. But that's where I'd try the ritual I'm asking you to share with me.

Re: EXPLORE THE COURTYARD?

[rosetograce]

[ WHAT? ]





WHAT?

1/2

[childeishly]

...what.

Re: EXPLORE THE COURTYARD?

[childeishly]

I said I could be wrong... but there's a lot of strange stuff up there. Oh, and that reminds me, maybe you can tell your friend to stop throwing me out. [ or maybe childe could just stop engaging the cube... ] Cubular. Annoying. Fights dirty. Sound familiar?

Re: EXPLORE THE COURTYARD?

[rosetograce]

Oh, the sentinels! There to watch over the celestial realms, as is their function—

...well, of course they would eject you. You're not supposed to be there. Very few are afforded such. Though, they are hardly friends. They're more, well—automatons. They simply do as they were made to.

Re: EXPLORE THE COURTYARD?

[childeishly]

...ah, so it is some kind of heavenly realm then. [ good to have that confirmed, if nothing else. not that he had many doubts, but... there it is. ] And, no, maybe not, but I have an in, so I can certainly help more than you originally though, see. It's really just a matter of... if you'll let me.

Re: EXPLORE THE COURTYARD?

[rosetograce]

This one is not sure if you understand the matter... it is not an issue of "letting," as, after all, your free will is not constrained. God's most beloved children... after all, may do as they desire.

Nay—this one has found one of her fellow fallen ones in the realms of the Enemy, which is the only reason this rite may commence. This one may not say much... simply due to how dangerous her position is, if information ends up in the wrong hands.

But—this news of a route to a heavenly realm, accessible through your cage... this one is deeply grateful to hear of it. Perhaps... though this one cannot affect what is outside this heart, at the moment, this one may be able to find all of you.

1/2

[childeishly]

Probably not completely.

I'm the brawn. [ keep dreaming childe. ] I left my other half, the brains, back at the hotel. [ he's half kidding... ]

Re: EXPLORE THE COURTYARD?

[childeishly]

Does that mean that your free will is constrained, ..?

Liar or Vengeance Hell. And that's... fair. I know how important that kind of thing is, being in a similar position back home.

At the moment. [ he makes some sort of a gesture. ] Is there a way to summon you? If, say, I go there and avoid those stupid sentinels, then maybe I can do something to help you pinpoint its location. Like... set up a beacon of sorts.

Re: EXPLORE THE COURTYARD?

[rosetograce]

Why do you think that your kind are among those most beloved by the Most High? Free will is the greatest of gifts—to be made for no purpose but to exult in creation and its wonders.

To be summoned—I do not think I could cross the Enemy's borders in such a way, and furthermore, it is demons who tend to answer such calls. But if you reach out in fervent and honest prayer, in love and kindness, I may yet hear it.

Re: EXPLORE THE COURTYARD?

[childeishly]

[ nods. ] I have to agree... free will is something special. H- Heh, made for no purpose, sure, I guess... [ he'll give a little shrug. ] since life's all about finding it on your own, or maybe even with the help of another.

I can see that. It'd be the perfect opportunity to put on a mask too, don't you think, and play a little... pretend. [ he may not be the best candidate for the job then... ] Good to know, thanks.

Are you going to be alright up here? I'm assuming we're kind of just waiting for things to kick off...

Re: EXPLORE THE COURTYARD?

[rosetograce]

The time grows nigh... and this one will walk her own path, as you walk yours through the garden. And, perhaps—if there is kindness remaining in the universe, we will all meet again, under better circumstances.

Re: EXPLORE THE COURTYARD?

[childeishly]

[ a small smile turns on his lips as he holds out his hand to her. ] Let's not call this good-bye then.

Re: EXPLORE THE COURTYARD?

[rosetograce]

Oh! Is this one of the mortal greeting rituals?

[ !!!!!!! ]