[M] Angel of the Night (Holey & Angel) IC

[Holeypaladin]

"They always have their reasons..." responded the knight to the words of this Halian. So often mortals and divines alike attempted to dismiss the actions of deities as being beyond human comprehension, but this was rarely the truth. There were always reasons for what they did... everything from ambition to petty greed or jealousy. To try and claim otherwise was simply a way of hiding the truth... which caused Harold to suspect this Hadrian's intentions even more.

Even still, the words of Fleur had some merit. This Godslayer knew how to kill a deity, and whether or not he would actually help... at least he could tell them how he did it. Still, the more he listened to the exchange between Leandre and Fleur, the less he liked the idea of using the mid-grounds as she called them... though the mages of the Arcane University referred to it instead as the Astral Plane.

It didn't look like they had much other choice, however... Fleur was correct in that it would take far too long by merchant vessel... or even by airship... to reach a city that was halfway across the world from their location. "The fact that she doesn't know Fleur is still alive is our main advantage..." he said, frowning at the idea of exposing her existence so soon.

"Isn't there some way of disguising her identity?" he asked. "It's dangerous enough to roam the Astral Plane to begin with... but to set off a beacon letting our enemy know of our need for long distance travel would give her a very good idea of where we're headed." He doubted that Varvara's reach extended to the Imperial City itself... but the element of surprise was currently their greatest weapon.

He glanced to Halian. While his own skill in illusion magic was lacking, the trickster god might know a trick or two that would work. Still... Harold had more reasons not to trust the god of youth than he did to trust him. He seemed to be pushing them a bit too hard when it came to discovering the location and identity of this Godslayer... as if he had his own motivations for wanting to know.

[AngelDellaNotte]

“There is a way but I am not sure if you are going to like it Fleur.” Leandre said, after a moment of thinking. He looked to Fleur not sure if he wanted to share with her. It was a good idea but had its own problems. With it she would be able to walk in the midgrounds without being seen by any of the gods but that wasn’t all that she would lose. “The draught of disbelieving.”

The young angel looked Leandre in shock as if he had suggested she cut off her wings. In a way he basically had. The draught of disbelieving was an old legend told among angels that could be used to turn an angel into a mortal. It was first used by the god Bindel as a test to see how devout his angels were. Legend told that Bindel had a number of his angels who he wanted to see if they truly were loyal to him, he secretly pour the draught into their food causing each of the angels to lose their divinity then left them on the mortal world with only the mission to return to him. Each of the twelve angels lost their powers and became mortals unable to feel their god or access their powers. Of the twelve angels only three returned and were granted a place of honor next to Bindel and their powers restored. Two angels fell into despair and killed themselves. Three found mortal life too tempting and remained so until their deaths and the other four died in the pursuit back to the heaven.

“That would strip me of being an angel.” Fleur said, knowing she would still have her dragon abilities but she had always been an angel and far more in tune to those powers than her dragon half. Taking that away would be like cutting a part of her out. Yes she had lost her faith in her goddess but was she ready to lose who she was as well?

“Yes it would.” Leandre said, wondering if he would be able to go through with it himself. Like Fleur he had betrayed Varvara but being an angel was who he was. “There is a temple of Bindel several days walk from here where the draught can be found. If you were to take it you could walk on the mid-grounds not as an angel but a mortal.”

“I don’t know if I could travel there as a mortal.” Fleur said. Both angels and dragons had the ability to go to the mid-ground but she relied on her angel powers and had very little experience using her dragon powers. “I was trained to use angel magic not dragon. Varvara always told me dragonic magic was wild and unstable. That my divine powers would never fail me.” She couldn’t believe she was thinking about this. But if she ever wanted to live truly free she had to free herself from Varvara. Drinking the draught would make her mortal and unnoticeable to Varvara but could she live with herself if she didn’t do anything to stop the goddess?

[Holeypaladin]

Harold thought over the words of the angels as they spoke. The term "draught of disbelieving" wasn't particularly familiar, as he never really paid much attention to mythology, focusing on the more practical aspects of dragonslaying, but... the more he listened to the two, the more of an idea he got over the nature of this particular potion. And the more he thought about it, the more it seemed like an even worse idea than the first.

"Removing her angel powers is an absolutely terrible idea," he said with certainty. "Not just because these are pretty..." he said as he placed his hands on the angelic wings, stroking them softly as he spoke, "But because Fleur isn't an angel. She's a half dragon angel. She will never, ever be mortal... and if you remove the angel aspect of her nature, she won't be human, but dragon. Red dragon, specifically."

"I may not be an expert on angels and mythology," he said with a shrug, "But I am an expert on dragons. A chromatic dragon is evil. Always. They do not have the freedom to choose their own morality, as humans do. And red dragons are the worst of the worst. Even half dragons succumb to the nature of their dragon side, unless the dragon aspect is sealed by a very powerful magic."

"In the case of Fleur..." he said, gazing at her beautiful angelic face, "I would say that her angelic nature is the only thing sealing away her draconic heritage. But were she to lose it... she would most definitely not be the Fleur that we all know and love, but instead a monster. I'd sooner take a path straight through Inferno than seal away her angel nature."

It was true that Inferno was a realm ruled by former angels... fallen Seraphim, in particular. Their angelic nature had been twisted as they turned into devils, though it was also a realm which deities like Varvara would never even think to look.

[AngelDellaNotte]

Harold stroking her wings caused her to shiver but it wasn’t a bad thing. She really enjoyed the feeling of his fingers brushing across her wings. If she were to use the Draught of Disbelieving she wouldn’t be able to feel it anymore. Across from them Leandre looked at Harold seeming he was appalled a human would touch her wings, especially knowing firsthand what it felt like. He had already figured out the pair were lovers but still wasn’t something angels did often and even less often in public. Pushing the thoughts from his mind as Fleur was young and Harold a human who probably didn’t know any better he spoke again about the Draught. “I’ve heard tales that the Arcane University has quite a Theology department. Someone there may know where to find the Draught of Believing or may even have one. I’m told the University has all kinds of potions and charms in their walls. What I mean to say is the change might not be permanent. Fleur if you are anything like your mother then I know your resolve is strong. Breaking from Varvara must have been hard but she went against everything you believe your will was too strong to just stand by. I believe you can resist your nature, it will grow harder as time goes by but you can do it.” Leandre said.

Fleur glanced from the angel to Harold thinking his words over in her mind. She loved being an angel and really couldn’t see herself as a dragon but if he was right it could be reversed. She could be made an angel again. Legends told that the angels who passed Bindel’s test had the god in their hearts and their bond was stronger than ever before. If she drank the Draught of Believing without Varvara or any god in her heart would she be free from the god’s meddling? She didn’t know but knew that as long as she was bond to Varvara the goddess would have power over her. Taking Harold’s hand in herself she squeezed it and looked into his eyes. “Harold, I don’t see any other way. I’m asking that you trust in me that I can hold out and not give into my dark nature. You must believe that I can do it as much as I believe that if I fail you will be able to pull me back. I wasn’t raised as a dragon and my formidable years weren’t spent with that nature. I can resist it because I have something others don’t. I have you.”

[Holeypaladin]

Harold gazed at the half-dragon angel, concerned over her well being. It seemed they were stuck between a rock and hard place, so to speak, and yet Leandre still seemed convinced that suppressing her angelic nature and turning her into a red dragon was somehow a good idea. Harold knew better... he had faced dragon in the past, along with half dragons. Though he heard rumors of a white half-dragon that had eventually overcome her evil nature, he also knew that white dragons were the least evil of all breeds of dragons, and the weakest. Red dragons like Fleur's father, however, were the most power, most tyrannical of all chromatic dragons in the world, and their evil nature was undeniably overwhelming to anyone who lacked an equally powerful good nature, such as Fleur inherited from her angelic mother.

He knew that the University was bound to have a Draught of Believing... in the possession of the Master Wizard himself and under lock and key, if nothing else. That wasn't the problem. The problem was that once Fleur's dragon nature was unleashed and unrestrained, she would no longer be herself, and that was something he couldn't stand for. "Before you can drink the draught..." he said, "We'll need to find a way to seal up your dragon side as well. Meaning that during the trip through the Astral realm.. Mid-ground as you call it... you'll be powerless as a human."

"I might be able to help with that part," came a beautiful feminine voice as the familiar beauty and overwhelming charismatic presence that was Fernanda made her entrance. "She's but a mere juvenile in dragon years, after all... it wouldn't be too difficult. Though I must warn you... any sort of pyromancy could break the seal and unleash the dragon within."

[AngelDellaNotte]

“No, the mid-grounds are dangerous. I can't leave you alone to fight through.” Fleur said, knowing that a mere human could never survive in the mid-grounds. Harold wasn't a mere human, he was a dragon slayer. A warrior proven time and time again in battle. The problem would be her, as a human she would only be a hindrance, putting him in danger. “Harold, I know you are an expert in anything dragon related. But even without my angelic nature I am still who I am. Do you really believe that I am evil? I know we haven't known each other very long. I can't believe that, in my core I am evil. My goddess may be but I am not her. Hell I am doing this to put a stop to her. Harold, we still have the dragon bangle if I start to slip it will weaken my powers. It won't fully stop them but it will be enough that you can stop me from doing anything wrong.”

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“Mistress.” Jarrah said, the pixie flying into Varvara's room. He hovered a short distance from her waiting to be acknowledge as she lay on a bed with a handsome young angel rubbing her back. The angel didn't stop instead he continued looking at the Goddess for direction.

“Jarrah, this better be good. I don't want to be disturbed.” Varvara said, sitting up and wrapping a blanket around her nude form. She waved the angel away and looked over at the pixie that look of displeasure still on her face. Tension with the dragons had grown, her spies hadn't been able to locate the dragon slayer and Saryn had been pressing her to make good on their deal. She had already heard of lesser dragons razing the outskirts of her lands. Nothing more than a number of scared villagers but a sure message from Saryn.

“Yes, Mistress. My spies have news in Genvese have word of a pair of angels fighting.” Jarrah said, still hovering away from the goddess.

“Two angels you say?” Varvara said, thinking about how Genvese was a free city. One of the epicenters for the renaissance, no god claimed the city mostly as most of the people didn't have faith in the gods. It would be unusual for an angel to be there and even stranger for there to be two. “Is this information creditable?”

“Very creditable, Mistress. An artist was there on the beach. He is working on a piece of art of their clash.” Jarrah said, waving his hands in the air before him the image of a artist's workshop appearing before them. The artist sat before a partially finished painting. It was little more than some sketches and light colorization. The outline of Fleur and Leandre could be seen but it wasn't clear enough to know for sure if it was them.

“Interesting.” Varvara said, standing up and walking to the angel who stood holding a robe. She dropped the blanket and slipped into the robe before walking back to Jarrah's image. Varvara reached into it grabbing the artist. She pulled him through the portal leaving the confused man standing there looking around. He looked about to speak but she held her hand up, his mouth moved but no sound was heard. “This angel you saw on the beach describe her.” Varvara said, waving her hand again.

“A young blonde woman wearing a suit of red shinning armor. Beautiful as can be, perhaps the most beautiful I have ever seen.” The artist said, looking to the goddess seeing her glare at him sending a jolt of fear through him. He knew instantly he had made a mistake before this powerful woman. He was standing before divinity, there was no doubting it. “The most beautiful I have ever seen until this moment.”

The goddess looked at him pausing for a moment then nodded to Jarrah who created an image of Fleur. “Was this the woman?” Varvara asked, and then man nodded. “Very interesting indeed.” She snapped her fingers and the artist disappeared.

[Holeypaladin]

Harold frowned somewhat at the words of the angel. He didn't really want to argue with her, but she seemed quite confident in her ability to resist something she understood very little about. True, there was the dragon bangle, and it should be able to contain some of her dragon nature... though it would also weaken her greatly. Her angelic nature was a part of who she was, he was sure of this, and to get rid of it would be to turn her into something that she wasn't.... maybe even make her human.

Harold didn't like human girls. They bored him.

More than that, however... he didn't trust Hailan. There was a reason the youthful trickster deity had been kicked out of his own pantheon and hunted, and a reason he was now forced to live in hiding. While he doubted the deity would provide any overt interference... he wasn't one to be trusted, and Harold had no idea where his true loyalties lie. Another rebellious deity such as Varvara might be just the ally the child-god was waiting for in order to return to power, after all.

Pulling Fleur closer, Harold kissed her on the cheek. "Let's give it a bit of thought before we decide..." he said to her. "It would do no good to rush head first into a dangerous situation without adequate preparation." He was reminded somewhat of his first dragon hunt... a battle where he had nearly been defeated against a young dragon because he rushed in without properly preparing. Quite embarassing, in retrospect, and not a mistake he liked to repeat.

Suddenly, the dragon lady seemed quite alert. Noticing this, Harold looked over to her. "Something up?" he asked the ancient dragon.

"Divine energies..." said Fernanda. "Very unusual. It's rare for deities to directly interfere in the mortal plane, but one just did, and in my city no less..." She glanced at Hailan who she was sure could sense it as well before continuing. "I'll go investigate. Stop by my parlor before you leave town, would you?" With that, she went off in the direction of the beach where the artist had been abducted.

[AngelDellaNotte]

At hearing Fernanda's statement about divine energies Fleur froze feeling an eerie chill. “It is Varvara, I know it.” Fleur said, leaning into Harold for support. The goddess thought she was dead, that was the only thing saving her right now. If the goddess knew she was alive it was likely that she would come after Fleur. She didn't think that Varvara would just let her go. That and she still wanted Harold dead. It would only be a matter of time before she went after the knight again. Harold could handle himself against dragons but she was a goddess. No they needed the godslayer. “We need to get out of the city.”

“We can help you with that. There are tunnels in under the city that most in the city know nothing about.” Hailan said, gesturing around him to the room. They were standing in one of them. “Leandre can guide you.”

Looking to the young appearing god Fleur started to nod but then shook his head. “No, thank you we will find our own way out. You've already helped enough. We can't involve you anymore.” She could see Harold's hesitation to trust the Hailan and it had good reason. They didn't know him or what his motives were. Even if they could trust him, letting him help could put him on the wrong side of Varvara and that could put the people under the city in danger. Fleur couldn't do that. “We should head back to the inn get our things then leave after seeing Fernanda.”

[Holeypaladin]

Squeezing the angel closer, the knight frowned. "We don't know that for sure..." he remarked, yet he also suspected it was most likely Varvara herself who was interfering in the affairs of mortals... after all, rogue deities weren't a very common appearance, as they were usually kept in line by the others of their pantheon along with powerful outside forces such as Fernanda, whose power rivaled that of a minor deity, along with fear of the infamous Godslayer.

As Halian mentioned the underground tunnels, he glanced over to Fleur. It seemed the angel as well had reason to suspect Hailan's motives, or perhaps she had caught on to his own suspicions... still, he couldn't argue against Fleur's decision, giving a nod. "Let's go get our things then," he remarked, glancing back to the young deity of youth. "We appreciate your hospitality, but it is time for us to get going."

He went ahead and made his way back out of the tunnels into the city, ensuring that Fleur didn't stray far from his side. He gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I think we have more powers in play than simply Varvara and the chromatic dragons," he remarked, noting how Hailan as well had his own interests in mind, along with the metallic dragon ancient Fernanda who he trusted. Leandre as well seemed to have objectives of his own, though Harold was unsure what they might be... it was clear he had been deeply in love with Fleur's mother, but aside from that he wasn't sure what the angel wanted.

Upon arrival back to the inn, he gathered up what belongings he lift, glancing somewhat wistfully towards the bed. "Would that we had time..." he remarked, remembering the enjoyable evening he had shared with Fleur so recently. "Let's go see what Fernanda was able to discover," he remarked, stroking Fleur's wings a bit as he headed back towards the parlor that he had shown the angel earlier in the morning.

[AngelDellaNotte]

Back at the inn Fleur didn’t really have anything to gather up. Everything she owned was in the heavens and she couldn’t really say that it was much. Physical possessions wasn’t really something angels had or wanted. The gods provided them everything they needed. The only thing she could really claim was her was her poleaxe and she could summon that whenever she needed. She waited while Harold gathered his things wondering if he was carrying everything he owned or if he had a home somewhere with everything he didn’t need on the road. He had a massive arsenal he could access through his foundry but wondered if he had more. “Do you have somewhere you call home?” She asked, as he stroked her wings. A shiver ran through her body and a halfhearted glare was sent at the knight. He knew what that did to her and that they didn’t have time to be dallying around. “Tease.” She whispered trying to push the desire back down inside her.

It made her pause though very solemnly, if she drank the draught of disbelieving she would lose her wings. They were part of her and something she couldn’t imagine living without. Yet she could think of no other way to avoid Varvava. Harold seemed to think there had to be another way but she couldn’t think of it. He feared her dragon side and his fear was rightfully placed. Fleur had grown up around dragons, first as a child in Saryn’s den and then in the heavens with them an ally of Varvara. Still she had to believe that in her core she wasn’t evil. The thought of it hurt her even thinking about it. Yes, she was half dragon but that wasn’t who she was. It couldn’t be. She looked back at him wondering if he could see the turmoil inside of her. “We shouldn’t keep Fernanda waiting do you have everything?”