eachdraidh | {1st Angel Feather; Video}

Entry tags:

{1st Angel Feather; Video}

[ooc: Backdated to evening of the 1st, after her initial arrival.

Colette turns on the locket, taking a moment as she adjusts to using it for the first time. There is some initial shaky moments, but she seems to get the hang of it well enough as she sits at her bed in her accommodations, the light of the moon filtering through her window enough that she has no more than one candle flickering nearby. It's late, but she's not tired yet so she figures she may as well try figure using the lockets properly and introduce herself.]

Hello everyone. I'm Colette. I only recently got here, and it's....a lot to take in. But I guess for now I have no choice but to try my best to consider all of it and where I stand. Whether I want to fight and what I want to protect. Either way....there's a chance to make so many new friends here, and hear about so many different worlds! So I'm curious about all the other worlds and some of their stories, so what do you say we share some together? I'll start!

[A deep breath and she closes her eyes for a moment as she recites the story - the history, from memory. Having spent so many times going over the history, the Chosen and their role, of course she has memorized it.]

Once upon a time, there existed a giant tree that was the source of mana. A war, however, caused this tree to wither away, and a hero's life was sacrificed in order to take its place. Grieving over the loss, the goddess disappeared unto the heavens. The goddess left the angels with this edict: ‘You must wake me, for if I should sleep, the world shall be destroyed.’ The angels bore the Chosen One, who headed towards the tower that reached up unto the heavens. And that marked the beginning of the regeneration of the world.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Why did you pick that story?

Why? Well, I guess because it's one I know by heart. I grew up learning about the Chosen and their Journey of Regeneration to restore the mana supply. I was taught it at school and by the priests as well as the Angelic Language to prepare me for it.

[Meaning that, yes, this is admittedly more than just a story. Colette is the Chosen. The Seventh to be exact, from Sylvarant. Not that she outright says that, yet.]

They tell that story to everyone?

Not...everyone. But everyone back home already know about the Chosen and all. I guess people here can't be expected to when this is a completely different world though. So maybe I could have explained it a little better.

[In hindsight, yeah. Possibly. Still, she's open to questions or clarification. Discussions and sharing stories is the whole point of this while she's having trouble getting to sleep, after all.]

What happened next?

[Yep, she's just gonna keep on asking overly simple questions.]

Then.....[Here is where Colette falters a little. Something she prepared for her whole life but was still terrified even as she went through with it. Yet she continues to try to explain, to answer the question.]

Then there were the Chosen and their Journey. I'm the seventh. The Chosen goes on the Journey, praying at each altar at the five places where the Seals are. At each one, the Chosen is granted powers of the Angels. But it is a dangerous Journey. The previous Chosen died trying to complete it. At the last, the Tower of Salvation, the Chosen will complete the Journey and restore the mana supply to Sylvarant, bringing it back from the decline and suffering, defeating the Desians.

[Not yet going into the details. The simpler explanation and basics are better, for the time being. Unless asked for detail or clarification. That and of course it is still habit to kind of try to hide what really happened to her during all of that. Neglect to mention the cost of said Journey and acquiring the angelic abilities as she lost more and more of her humanity.]

All the others before you died. What makes you think you can do it?

I know it might be that I fail as well. But....I won't know for sure unless I try. And I'm the only one who can, so. I have to.

[For Sylvarant's sake. For Lloyd's. Even if she is terrified. Even if she knows what is to come. Surely if she is successful, that will at least buy them some time to figure things out between the two worlds before Tethe'alla begins that decline.]

You're just wasting your time.

[That hurts to hear. Like hearing her own fears and doubts spoken aloud. That she would fail. That it would only happen again once Tethe'alla's Chosen undertakes his Journey. But Colette still finds herself in denial on it all the same.]

No, I'm not. This is what I was born for. I have to at least try. I got to the Final Seal.

[And said goodbye. The last she recalls. So there's a decent chance it worked. That she succeeded. Gave up her heart and memory as the last sacrifices. The last trial. But of course others couldn't hope to understand, not entirely.]

And then what? What makes you think they even deserve to be saved?

[Colette pauses at that, pursing her lips and curling a hand to her chest after the initial surprise at such a question. She's never considered after, if there were any doubt that the people of Sylvarant deserve to be saved. Even if that comes at the cost of her own life. Her own humanity.]

I...never really thought about after. [Mostly because either way she's 'dead'.] But of course they deserve to be saved! They've been suffering for years, waiting for the time I'd be old enough to go on the Journey. With the mana, the crops will stop dying and everything.

Maybe they deserve to suffer.

[What a pleasant conversation this turned out to be.]

No. They don't. You're wrong. How could you say that?

[Given Colette has grown up with this knowledge of her own impending death, she's never known anything else. What it would be like to be just 'Colette' and not have this weight of responsibility for the entire world on her shoulders. If she ever felt some sort of bitterness about the idea, it's been brief and well hidden, tucked away with the eventual resignation of her fate. Not considering how sacrificing anyone at all would be such a terrible thing.]

I know what humans are like, and what they're capable of. They deserve everything that happens to them.

Just because some humans might...make mistakes and do bad things, that doesn't mean all of them are like that!

[Lloyd taught her and Genis that, seeing her as 'Colette' rather than the Chosen, not caring if Genis is an elf or half elf. But it's hard to explain that in words, exactly. Which still doesn't make this any easier to argue about.]

How do you know?

Because I know some humans who aren't like that. One is even my best friend. So...I can't accept that. I'm doing this for him. For everyone! There are those that make mistakes, but that shouldn't mean the rest need to suffer because of that! They all deserve this chance.

[Lucy's heard all she wants to wants to hear, so she stops and ends the conversation altogether.

You tried, Colette.]

[There's that word. Angel.

Similar terminology or not, it's likely this isn't something to be concerned over. Whenever Goddesses and Angels she knew met, there was killing going on.

But that doesn't mean it hasn't drawn Lucifer's attention.]

[But here she is anyway, completely devoid of anything but a very enthusiastic, curious expression!]

Hi Colette! I'm Hikaru; It's nice to meet you.

I liked your story. What was the name of this goddess?

Oh, hello Hikaru! It's nice to meet you too! Well....ah, sort of. [Because this isn't really in person exactly, but it's sort of close enough with the lockets at least. Colette gives a nod and a smile, head tilting slightly as she answers.]

I'm glad you enjoyed it. Obviously that's not...all of it. But it's one I heard many times back home. The Goddess is called Martel. I pray to her every night, for the people of Sylvarant.

You don't say...hey, does she ever respond?

Not directly. Even so, I believe she is in all of us. Or, at least, all of us back home. But....I know not everyone is religious. Let alone so many different worlds, I'm sure others have their own Gods or Goddesses.

[Which isn't necessarily something she really considered before now. But of course that would make sense in a way. Each world would have its own culture, history and religion. The same way different towns or cities have their own ways of life even within Sylvarant.]

Well, I'm not particularly religious myself...although it's not from a lack of belief or anything. I know Angels, Gods and all that exist.

[Some people don't even think she exists after all.]

Ah, I should probably tell you a story back in return, huh? How about one involving Goddesses and Angels too?

Oh? I'm not sure...how that would work, exactly. But that's your own business.

[Still, she gives a brief moment of contemplation before a smile and a nod in answer to the question. One hand raising to her chest even as she shifts slightly on her bed to be more comfortable.]

If that's the sort of story you want to tell. I don't mind. I'm sure whatever story you have would probably be new.

[Cause just cause they exist don't mean you gotta worship them.

Anyway, she doesn't bother bringing that up. Just gets onto the more relevant, less loaded topic.]

Alright! So...

A really long time ago, worlds were full of magic and the old gods, who existed alongside humankind in harmony. [Chaotic harmony. Lot of slaughter, lot of ritualistic sacrifice, it was really awful.] Life was owed to the mother goddesses, the ones born from the planet that gave life to all things. Every other living being paid tribute to them for it, even if they favored other gods, all to thank them for the life they bestowed upon them.

But this all changed with the arrival of a new God. Nobody knows where He came from [Well, Lucifer does, but details.] but He was even more powerful than the mother goddesses combined. He used his power to subjugate the mother goddesses and seal them away within the Earth. His legions of Angels swarmed all worlds they could find and destroyed the old gods, stripping them of their power and casting them into hell, reducing them to monsters known now as 'demons'. He also forbid anyone to use magic except for Him and His legions, so that nobody could ever grow strong enough to overthrow Him. From that point on, history was forever changed, and as far as everyone is concerned it was Him who created all things, and nobody ever learned of the truth. From that day on, everyone paid tribute to Him instead for work He never did.

Edited 2015-02-13 03:07 (UTC)

But that's--that's terrible! Why would he do that...?

[It doesn't seem fair to the mother goddesses at all!]

You can't imagine why someone would want all that power? That authority?

Don't think of these gods as anything more than you or me. Just think about what a human in that position would want - it makes them easier to understand.

I don't know. I never really....aspired to my status back home or wanted it. It's just...part of being the Chosen. I didn't consider to think of the gods or goddesses as being like us though. I guess in that case even they could make mistakes and have their goals.

[Even if said goals weren't necessarily for the better, but more selfish.]

Honestly, in most cases they do. Just like people, supernatural entities like that usually have something to gain from dealing with others.

That's why you have to be careful when dealing with them in return! In my experience, things like that don't lie, they just leave out the important bits. It makes what they say sound more convincing. If I were you I'd be a little wary about this Martel, too.

I never thought about it like that. But maybe that is true. At least, for some perhaps.

Why would you be wary of Martel? [The question is hesitant, and yet layered. Protective of the one she turned to in the midst of growing up with the knowledge that she is to die at the age of sixteen.]

Well, the same reasons you'd be wary of anyone in a position like that...

[not that she's actually wary of anyone, but.]

She's never spoken to you, so you can't know what she's like right? And putting total faith into a stranger is just...well, dumb.

Edited 2015-02-18 05:43 (UTC)

I guess I just....like to think the best of anyone.

[Even the likes of certain assassins that were sent to kill her back home. Colette really is sheltered and doesn't really get this 'caution' thing.]

How did the regeneration go?

[ Billy then flashes a sheepish smile, realizing that he should probably introduce himself, too. ] Anyway, hi. I'm Billy.

Um, well...I think it worked.

[Given the last she recalls. Saying goodbye to Lloyd and all. But it's all apparently a lot more complicated than she first realized.]

Hi, Billy!

Hey, it's nice to meet you.

[ "Think" sounds super uncertain there. ] Uh. You don't sound too sure about that?

It's...complicated, given when I was pulled from. I know at least some of the previous Chosen failed. The last one did. But I'm not so sure if I do.

[Which of course, that worries her. For what would happen to Sylvarant, to Lloyd if she failed. But she tries to keep the conversation from getting too serious and heavy, tilting her head up from its brief glance down to her knees and asking.]

What about you? What stories did you grow up with?

Wait, you're one of the chosen in your world?

[ He'll pause for a moment, to collect his thoughts. ] There's a lot of stories in my world. We have all kinds of cultures across the planet.

I'm the seventh, yes. From Sylvarant. Sheena told me there's another Chosen back at her home, in Tethe'alla.

[Colette pauses, considering for a moment.]

I guess that's pretty....broad, huh? I guess I'm just curious. There are so many people here from so many different worlds. There's a lot we could learn from each other! Not just stories. It just helps to pass the time, I guess. When I can't sleep. The stars are different here...

[Which of course she has noticed, given Kratos' advice back home to try count them.]

It's not just the stars. I really miss electricity.

So, stories. What do you want to hear about: Norse mythology or something from my people?

Electricity. [Yeah, in Sylvarant, their ships and boats run on steam because mana shortage. So she isn't necessarily quite sure what to make of that and such advanced technology.]

I don't mind, really. I mean, whatever story you want to tell me is probably not going to be one I already know. I know about myths, but what's Norse?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

{1st Angel Feather; Video}

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

no subject

1/2

Video;

Video;

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

video;

video;

Re: video;

video;

Re: video;

video;

Re: video;

video;