Over the following days, Morgrim and Laphi recruited four of the local seraphim; they were all surprised about Velvet being a hellion, but gave her the benefit of the doubt after Morgrim explained the situation and they got to see that she did, in fact, not ooze Malevolence in any shape or form. More than half a week had passed since the siblings reached Pendrago and Velvet was in a good mood; some part of her still urged to make haste, but it got less pronounced every week she resisted it. This was different than her rampage against Artorius; these things took time, Velvet just had to get used to it.
She was in such a good mood that day, the leader of the new Bloodwings actually took the time to braid her hair. Laphi had done so several times over the past month, but he already headed out to meet their first recruits; this was the first time since their awakening that she did it herself. Thinking of recruiting however, Velvet mused that they still needed a proper base. She did not feel much like hiding somewhere underground, although it appeared like a good solution for stealth. Innominat up high would do just as fine, though the older seraphim might definitely get ideas about what the structure actually was; Velvet wondered whether it even mattered if they suspected, or whether they should just be allowed to figure it out. Another boon of turning Innominat into their base, she realised over watching a small cloud of Malevolence flow into her hand like mist, was that the seraphim going up there would be free of the corrupting darkness.
A last quick flick and her braid was done; Velvet bound it in place and gave it a little tug to see if it held, which was when another thought presented itself to her. The old Bloodwings based their operations out of a tavern, among others. She could see how useful such a location was to a shadow guild based on information, too. A tavern stood right in front of peoples' noses, completely going against expectations of where one would find the headquarters of an illegal group. Not to mention all the patrons who chatted with each other or the staff. She also considered that while hiding somewhere in the woods was safer and arguably more secretive, getting something like that set up would take more resources and time than opening a tavern in the middle of a city. Granted, they were Empyreans and had more seraphim at their hands to make short work of such building, so this one was a less pressing point for the Bloodwings.
Still, a tavern. Velvet could not help but like the idea; she faintly remembered joking with her friend Niko about opening a business together. It never happened back then, but today was different. Velvet was a good cook, so they had a foundation. The greater problem would be setting everything up on the organisational and funding level; she would have to discuss it with Laphi later.
Her thoughts in order, Velvet turned around and marched out of her room at the inn, into the unending rainfall which had begun to bother her by this point. Aside from soaking everyone and everything, having nothing but rain clearly lowered peoples' moods; Malevolence bred fast like this, even for a city of this size. Not to mention that it dispersed the market; she could still procure the necessities, but there were hardly as many people around to either buy or sell as the plaza offered space for.
Laphi found her around the time she handed some money to a woman from the Sparrow Feathers merchants and bagged her supplies. Velvet then walked off with her brother trailing behind, explaining while they walked so as to not raise suspicion: "We have a bit of a problem; there is no pure vessel to be found for Morgrim. At least none in the areas where we could set up shop more easily. Nothing she could stay in for longer amounts of time." Velvet nodded and they rounded a corner away from the marketplace. "She thinks we might find something at the shrinechurch; the great temple that way."
A finger was pointed and she glanced over, then nodded again. The structure had been familiar from the start, standing somewhat elevated. Laphi confirmed her suspicions when he kept talking: "It's kinda amazing, you know? They set the foundation for that church before we were born and only finished it hundreds of years later. From what Morgrim tells me, they did it all without seraphic artes; a purely human accomplishment." Velvet could not help but smile and Laphi did the same; it was an impressive feat.
Due to the early hour, she managed to stand alone for a short few seconds; long enough to quickly tell Laphi to "pick up Morgrim and look around" without being overheard. Then it was for her to follow him to where the cat-shaped seraph was staying. Gathering their co-conspirator and maneuvering through the small but everpresent crowd went without trouble; they reached the shrinechurch around noon. Velvet had to admit that it still appeared much like it used to from the outside. The arching tower and majestic gates remained as imposing as they were so long ago; even without being a faithful, one could be in awe of the place itself.
The gates were opened halfway, allowing the public to file in and out at their desire; striding into the vast main hall, an even stronger sense of nostalgia assaulted Velvet's senses. The benches arrayed before the main altar and the stone-throne standing behind it, all the distinct shapes and sharp architecture, the archways and pillars, it was all as it had been. Many were seated on the benches, a slow buzz of quiet conversation suffusing the room. "It's even more impressive on the inside," Laphi muttered to Velvet and Morgrim; even though no one in here would be able to hear him, he immediately adjusted to the atmosphere.
The cat in his arms leaned back to look at him from below, paws lying on his arms and pushing to be let down. "I agree," she murmured. "While this place can not measure up to the Empyrean's Throne, it is certainly a monument to the dedication of man. Those who set the first stones were long dead by the time it stood completed, yet they carried on; generation for generation." Cat and boy let their eyes wander this way and that while Velvet stepped to the side to not bother anyone.
Observing the area for a few minutes yielded little of use; there was no sermon ongoing, just people offering prayer. "They wish for the rain to stop," Laphi told her quietly. "A lot of these prayers are heartfelt and most of them go to the Empyreans. But some just radiate to all the seraphim who may hear, and I'm right here."
"As am I," Morgrim added. "Out of curiousity, could you put together a ritual to undo the rain?"
"I think so, but it would take some time and I don't know if this is just a natural phenomenon or hostile action. It might mesh badly with an already ongoing ritual."
While the two seraphim discussed, Velvet took note of a scant few people going past the main hall through a set of doors behind the altar. Their clothes were not uniform and only one of them was an actual priest, all the rest appeared like commoners. She figured she learned all she could from where she stood and marched forward, just as a priestess in pure white robes walked through those same doors. "Excuse me," she started in a quiet tone to catch the older woman's attention, then pointed to the area beyond. "I saw people going in there. Is that area open to the public?"
She received a kind smile and a nod. "Indeed it is, my child." Velvet only barely did not make a face at being addressed like that. "Most of the shrinechurch is open for visitors during the day, as it was intended by our forefathers. Feel free to explore to your heart's content, but do stay clear of wherever the guards bar access." The woman stepped aside to let her through, her smile never faltering.
"Thank you, I think I will." She then proceeded through the doorway and was soon joined by her companions. The priestess nodded once more and wandered off on her own again.
This area was new to Velvet, who had never been further inside than the previous room. A sizable hallway led deeper into the building, with various rooms and corridors breaking off from where she walked. Laphi was quickly running around to study the various engravings and furniture, though Morgrim toddled along by her side. Scrolls had been spread on over the walls to reveal old writings to those who could read them, with most having at least one or two people kneeling before them in prayer.
They kept walking, going this way and that only to find more of the same; it was a sprawling area full of people, yet even she could feel the reverence in the air around her. Velvet took note of a few markers carved into the stone, pointing the way she had come; keeping an eye on them as they wandered, she soon found that they all led back to the entrance in case one got lost. A wise choice of the old architects.
As Laphi ran ahead to inspect another, unoccupied scroll on the wall, he dashed past a woman garbed in pristine white with golden embroidery; that woman paused in her stride almost imperceptibly and thus garnered Velvet's attention. At a second glance, she found this one's robes to be more elaborate, with a coattail that almost touched the ground attached to the upper robe, dark green on the inside. Her headdress and the staff she held made it even clearer she held a high position; the three golden rings melded together at the staff's head were the same as the golden embroidery on dark blue on her chest.
Their eyes met and Velvet took note of how sharp and gaunt her features were. Of how pale she was. Her face was the only visible bodypart beside her hands, all else hidden by cloth.
"Quite an unusual sight," the clergywoman spoke with a rather deep voice, almost alluring, were it not for how clear each word was enunciated. She took a step closer and scrutinised Velvet, who stood a head taller than her and could guess that was what drew her attention the most. "Are you here to pray, child? Do you seek insight into the workings of the divine, perhaps?" She bit down on the almost instinctual comment; almost a third of the existing pantheon stood right in front of that woman. Laphi had turned around and watched the exchange, as did Morgrim.
After a moment of thought, she shrugged lightly. "I've never been one for prayer, it's not like the Great Lords would come down to help me even if I spent every moment of my life calling to them."
She had meant to agitate the woman a little, but her comment was taken in stride. "Fairly true, I agree. Yet you do believe the Great Lords exist, even though they will not partake in communion with us mere men?" Her voice remained crisp and clear, collected, almost like a whip to a lesser person. Velvet was unimpressed.
"Of course they exist, that isn't even in question. I'm just not the kind to run to others for help."
"I see." Her eyes wandered over Velvet's appearance again, from the damp hair down to her heavy boots. "You are a traveler, I presume?"
Laphi had begun to circle around the woman now, curiously examining her from every side; Velvet let him and continued the conversation: "I am. You have to forgive me, but I don't know who you are exactly."
Her gaze slipped; just for a moment, but Velvet saw her eyes flick to her brother when he next shuffled around her. The woman still caught herself quickly, fast enough that anyone not observing her like Velvet did would not even have noticed. "I am Runette Forton," she introduced herself curtly, "Cardinal of the Church of Rolance and acting aide to his holiness, the pope." There was a momentary pause, as if she waited for Velvet to do something. Then a minute smile graced her features. "It is refreshing to meet one who does not immediately prostrate herself to those in power. An unconventional attitude." Velvet raised an eyebrow, now aware but still uncaring of the social suicide her behaviour would be against most other people. It was obvious the Cardinal did not care.
Before she could answer however, Laphi hovered up into the air behind Runette Forton and whispered into her ear, making her flinch visibly: "A valiant attempt, but not good enough. Shall we drop the act?" The older woman's gaze went to Velvet, who wore a faint smirk but scrubbed it away when another clergyman walked past them. He offered a friendly bow to the traveler and a deeper one to his superior, then he was past. The two women sized each other up.
. .
. .
Runette's mind was reeling and part of her screamed to destroy the nuisance immediately; this girl was dangerous, she could perceive seraphim and had figured out she could too. Some part of her seethed, truly, but she shut it down as she had so often done before. Anger was powerful in keeping one going, but led to bad decisions if relied upon too much; now was not the time to be hasty. Runette's lips tugged up the slightest bit as she surrendered this round, one hand motioning to a side corridor. "Shall we reconvene in private to continue this conversation? I am quite intrigued about you, child." It was not even a lie, curiousity did surge through her at the moment; at the same time however, Runette figured she could just petrify girl, boy, and cat if they turned out to be threats.
Unaware of the danger, the younger woman nodded and made to follow her lead. An odd one for sure, yet gullible. Or assured of her superiority, Runette thought then. It could be either with this one, especially when knowing there were two seraphim with her. "It was to be expected," the cat noted as they walked, her voice quite womanly to Runette's surprise. "Where but in the church would we find a woman of strong resonance?" It was almost too easy if they already made her case for her, or at least she thought so. Until the boy opened his mouth again.
"A bit of a correction there, Morgrim. She does not have resonance." Four eyes went to the child while Runette kept hers averted, a moment of panic suppressed before anyone could see. "This is a hellion." She still kept quiet, merely casting a glance to the smiling boy when he addressed her directly: "You are hiding it well, to the suppression of your inhuman traits even, but I can smell the Malevolence within you." She wanted to ask badly about how one could smell whatever this Malevolence was, but plausible deniability had to be maintained. At least until they were in a place where she could murder these obstacles unseen. Odd though, they still followed her despite apparently having figured her out. Perhaps, Runette thought, she should gauge their motivations some more before taking action.
At least the cat already asked some of her questions, for Runette had figured she was the only hellion capable of it. "I did hear of hellions who maintained their human form through turning, but not of any that could suppress their new appearance. Where did you learn such a thing?"
"Arthur told me about it," the boy answered without clarification; neither of the other women appeared to need it. "It's a possible if rare trait and requires a great force of will. With enough dedication and focus, a hellion can suppress the physical changes and traits they gained when they turned. You don't find it often and it's still just the physical side, not any mental changes." She would not confirm the boy's assessment yet, but by herself Runette could feel the snake within her hissing. She merely listened idly to his explanations and put the new knowledge aside for later, if it ever became relevant. They had arrived.
"This chamber is usually meant for the clergy to meet," she explained as the guards saluted and stepped aside. "but no meeting is scheduled for today." The doors were opened and revealed a well-sized room with a soft carpet and some decorative plants. Of other furniture however, there were but a handful of workdesks currently pushed together in the room's center. Writing materials had been arrayed and chairs were mostly in order. "Please make yourself comfortable."
The door closed, but Runette did not spring the trap. Not yet. She instead turned back to that odd woman, who eyed her with sharp eyes; different, now. Not those of a curious if disillusioned traveler. A predator.
Except that Runette was not prey.
The two sized each other up once again, neither moving yet both ready to spring into action. In this moment, she knew she had been found out; yet she was not attacked, or threatened in any way. So Runette challenged the girl: "Now that you know I am a hellion, what will you do?"
"You mean because we still followed you into a private space?" She casually leaned against the wall next to the door, arms crossed in front of her chest. "Nothing yet. I know your type, Cardinal. A will strong enough to return your form to human and your position here? You have ambitions, but what for exactly?"
Not what she expected, but she could work with that. Runette always disliked deception; honesty had brought her far, being perceived as always honest brought her further. Her aims were true and honesty would merely aid in gauging these strangers. "I wish to preserve Rolance, as a nation and as an empire. I desire Rolance to pass the test of time and last eternal. The best approach I found for this is to unite the people against outsiders who think differently."
The cat, Morgrim if she heard right earlier, had sat herself by the human woman's feet and peered at Runette with a penetrating gaze. "Can we trust but her word?"
"It's fine, I said I know her type. She won't lie, especially because she truly believes she is in the right." The words were delivered with a calm similar to Runette's own, but that only allowed her to focus on their meaning.
"That makes it sound like you disagree?"
The other woman waved her hand at that. "Yes and no, really. Wanting to preserve your home nation is never a bad thing, but the how matters. How would you even..." She trailed off and while Runette understood the question, she waited for where this one's thoughts would go. Her amber eyes flickered to the staff she still held, then to the walls as if taking in the cathedral as a whole. "Of course. Through faith."
"Quite perceptive," she confirmed immediately to distract from her surprise at being understood. Somewhere, she also appreciated that there was someone who could follow her train of thought. "As long as the people truly believe in the same gods, they can easily be banded together against those who believe otherwise."
Silence took hold after that, both women eyeing each other with curiousity more than hostility now. It was the child who ended the stalemate, having stood at the side and left them to it so far. "I think I like her, Velvet."
And that of a seraph. Runette cast a glance to the smiling boy, then back to the girl. Velvet. If she built a rapport already, she might as well try to be daring. "It seems you understand my goals, and at least concur with the spirit of them." She almost switched to the honey-coated words she got so used to over the years, but reminded herself that this Velvet appeared to favour bluntness. "I could use a capable woman such as yourself, and I have much to offer."
A second passed, then two. All eyes were on Velvet, whose face twitched once or twice but remained calm. "I won't become your minion," she finally told Runette. "I'm not the type to let myself be bossed around."
"Although a partnership might be interesting," the boy added right after. "We have no issues with hellions and a friend high up in the church would benefit us a lot."
She almost missed Velvet's nod at that, confused but also considering. A partnership, he said. Runette cast the feelings of confusion and alienation aside to be examined later, needing a clear head now. "I appreciate your being candid with me, although I do not see how we would benefit mutually."
Surprisingly however, it was Morgrim who answered her veiled question. "There is more to those two than meets the eye. Not to mention that your interests align in parts." Slitted pupils went from one to the other, then the cat bounded over and hopped onto a desk to be closer to eye-level with them. Runette waited for her, curious where this was going. "As a hellion, surely you noticed the increased spread of Malevolence in recent years. This is not a natural occurence and if not stopped from growing worse, it will spell the end of the Kingdom of Hyland and the Rolance Empire."
This was news and there was this word again; at least she could be sure to have determined its meaning. Runette had known the darkness grew, that more people turned into hellions recently, but she lacked knowledge about this. Morgrim putting it in dramatic terms like this made her wonder whether it was actually true; she raised an eyebrow at the cat. "Could you elaborate?"
After a moment of quiet eye contact, Morgrim did heed her request: "While your force of will is certainly impressive, you are an outlier. Most humans can not retain that which makes them human when they turn into hellions; they become nothing but beasts. If the Malevolence overflows, everyone will be turned and all social order will collapse. Faith alone will not save them then." She had a point, which Runette conceded with a nod.
"We're investigating the source at the moment," Velvet interjected from the other side, but Runette did not need any elaboration on that. While she was still doubtful of the societal threat, a quiet dread settled in her heart as she began to understand just what she was dealing with.
"The Lord of Calamity. It has to be." A curious blink was all the surprise that got out of Velvet, but Runette explained to heed off the question: "The old books tell of the line of darkness that desires to drown the world in chaos. No being in the world can be a greater threat to mankind." For some reason, even while Runette began to convince herself that this was a serious issue, Velvet snorted over something she said. Her seraph made a face at the same time, but she could not figure out why.
"Good, we don't have to explain that part." Velvet chuckled once more and sized Runette up. "Just keep in mind that the Lord of Calamity is a hellion like yourself. Our enemy is a person with an unknown number of allies of unknown identity."
The pieces began to form a picture, one she did not like at all. Yet something bothered Runette nonetheless. "How can you know it is not me, if the Lord of Calamity is indeed a hellion?"
"You would have told us by now," the boy seraph told her with a smile; at this point, the way his wide eyes took her in without fear was more off-putting than reassuring. "You may, however, be a pawn in their plan." Runette hesitated and the boy tilted his head, motioning for her. "Just think about it. A cardinal, who is a hellion, who is willing to support conflict with others. Even if it is to aid her own country, your existence opens many possibilities to spread Malevolence. I helped engineer far more daring plans than that in the past."
She took a few moments to mull this over while Morgrim agreed with the other seraph about something he said. She still lacked some vital knowledge here, so she spoke up after a time. "I am afraid you know more about this than I do. Up until earlier, I did not even know the spreading darkness is called Malevolence. How does the Lord of Calamity create it, and how would I spread it for them without knowing?"
She received rather open surprise in response. Velvet exchanged glances with the seraphim, then she pushed herself off from the wall. "You didn't know?" Runette shook her head and waited. She did not have to wait long until the younger woman began to explain: "Malevolence is born from humans. Any humans, all humans. An old friend called it 'emotions that are beyond reason to rationalise', but that's a bit too abstract. The moment you feel something you know you shouldn't, or that contradicts other feelings you have, it creates Malevolence. Killing a man and then blaming yourself, hating someone you love, crushing despair, but even just wanting more for yourself even though you were taught not to take too much can be enough. It's innately human and you will spread it through your actions."
Velvet paused to let her take it all in, which Runette was thankful for; she needed a moment to get her horror under control, to internalise her folly in not learning more, then was distracted when the younger woman continued: "Some people can take more of it than others before they turn. The seraphim are a lot more vulnerable than humans, at that. But in the end, enough Malevolence will make anyone turn into a hellion. Even animals and lifeless objects."
That, she felt, might be a problem. Her own plans were necessary without doubt, but this would create a greater amount of risk than she had thought it would. As if he had read her mind, the boy added to his companion's explanation thoughtfully: "Take that endless rain for example. It brings down peoples' mood, so you get more Malevolence. Negative emotions are a lot more prone to that than positive ones."
"That may be true," Runette found herself defending her opening gambit, "but at the same time it drives the people together in prayer, in faith, to appease the gods they believe they angered in some way." Only after she spoke did she realise she gave herself away. The two in front of her were exchanging looks while the cat on the table had begun to groom herself.
"To be clear," the boy began curiously, "the rain is your doing?" Knowing that it was already too late to pretend otherwise, Runette confirmed it for him. He cast a glance to Velvet and then back at her in silence for a while. When he finally spoke, it was not what Runette expected: "That's such a crude plan."
She had expected them to take offense, to try arguing with her, but not that kind of response. She could not understand why he would say that, either; again, Runette had half a mind to petrify them all, but that was the Malevolence talking and she knew it. The boy addressed her into the momentary silence: "What was your goal again? Please repeat it for me."
More confused than irritated, she did what he asked: "To preserve the Rolance Empire."
Now Velvet chimed in with a question of her own. "Do you mean its structure or its people?"
"Both."
"Hm." The boy eyed her without seeing, deep in thought. "You could do better on that end, then. Instead of making the rain perpetual like this, have it go on for a week or two, maybe three if you want to make a point. Then hold a mass sermon in order to 'beg the Great Lords for aid' or something like that and cancel the arte you're using afterward." Runette's eyes grew wider as he laid out his reasoning, the cardinal completely flabbergasted. "Rinse and repeat this every half or full year and then, a few years down the line, you not only strenghtened the faith but also put yourself into a position of greater authority; for people to listen whenever you speak. And it drives down the risk of destroying all the crops and triggering a famine like people are starting to expect right now."
Her mouth clicked shut; she did not know what to say. Not only had this been a chance encounter, but these people did not even try to dissuade her from affecting the weather. No, rather they advised her on how to do it better. She had not even considered the effect this rain would have on the harvest!
The seraph observed her for a while, but kept speaking when no response was forthcoming. "As I said, working together is beneficial for both sides. You are held up in Rolance and lack the means to investigate. No shepherd has come forth yet and the world will change soon." He paused, cast a calculating look to his companion, and then back to Runette. "We're currently setting the foundation for a shadow guild, one that deals in information and will mostly recruit seraphim. This is a chance for both sides because we won't stop and you won't either. In working with us, you head off the risk of becoming our enemy later. You gain insights most others will never have and will stand right at the root of change, so you can steer Rolance through it as best as anyone can."
Closing her eyes for a long moment, Runette Forton cleared her mind again. His argument made sense, though she wondered what kind of change there might be up ahead. She wondered just who these people were. But it did not matter, right now she had choices to make. It was tempting and yet she could not bring herself to commit. "You said before that I am trusworthy because you know my type and I would not lie. The same can not be said in reverse; how would I trust all of this with but your word for it?" It all made too much sense to be an elaborate hoax, she could feel that in her gut. Yet she needed to make certain.
A moment passed as looks went between them, then Velvet brought her curiously bandaged arm out from behind her back. "Alright," she conceded. "A secret for a secret." That arm then began to bulge and grow. The bandages unfolded, sliding back to reveal crimson and black flesh, veins of even deeper red pulsing through it. Fingers grew into jagged claws, the entire arm lengthened until the revealed limb was large enough to grasp a man around the torso and touch its fingers at the back.
Runette stared at the appendage, then at Velvet. "I see," she got out with a wavering voice. "That explains why you were so calm around me." This woman was a hellion just like Runette herself. Yet the fact she could hide her own appearance brought up a question: "How did you not know some hellions can hide their nature when you do the same?"
"I don't. Changing back and forth doesn't take much effort at all, that's how I've always been since I turned. I'm not what you'd call a normal hellion."
There were more questions there for her to ask, but the boy interjected and stepped forward. "I feel I should provide proof of my own. If you allow?" She nodded and he channeled mana immediately, an incredible amount of it, enough for Runette to feel it. She stepped back cautiously, but found nothing attacking her; a larger circle formed on the carpet, intricate, golden lines glowing faintly as something like a veil appeared in its center. Seconds passed and the mana solidifed, then he motioned for it. "There. We need to go elsewhere so I can show you." He received a glance from Velvet and shrugged. "This one didn't take as long because I already know where to go and don't have to attune the arte."
A transportation arte of some kind. Runette hesitated for a moment, paranoia acting up and screaming that it was a trap. But someone who could expend that much mana casually would not need a trap to deal with her, she was almost certain of that now. So she stepped forward, hellion and seraphim making ready to follow right after her. Before she walked through the golden haze however, she turned to the boy. "Your name?"
"Laphicet."
"Very well."
She stepped into the haze and felt like falling through a long tunnel of light. Runette fell forward, then suddenly stood on solid ground again. She stumbled for a step but caught herself, then made a few more to get away from the arte; only then did she turn to look and her eyes grew wide.
Before her lay a sphere. No, a ball. A great sphere of green and blue and black, with a merciless sun shining at her from the side and onto what lay beneath. She stood on solid stone, a platform belonging to a giant castle that drew her gaze away once she noticed it. Runette craned her neck yet could not see the top from where she stood, grand archways and buildings lying before her eyes. It was like the tales of the ancients had come to life; a temple the size of Pendrago and ten times as grand.
"Though I applaud your plan to exploit faith for unity," Laphicet spoke up as he made to stand by her side, "you have to remember that the gods do exist." She could not even turn her head to him, too absorbed by this giant structure. One of the spires shuddered and turned from dark grey or blue stone to gold; scales bigger than herself, one and all. Her eyes wandered up the colossus as it bent into view, eyes gleaming red on a head that could barely fit into Pendrago's main plaza. A dragon stared at her for a long moment, golden and magnificent. Its gaze made Runette feel insignificant, powerless; she lost the grasp on her form and reverted, legs melding together into a tail and elongating as she, too, grew scales. Her facial structure shifted and her arms grew longer, but her dress remained unharmed by the changes as her body mainly grew in length.
Runette stood still, almost rooted to the ground until the dragon stretched back up and turned to stone. A hand tapped her shoulder and she beheld the boy, Laphicet, as he floated at her eye-level. His gaze was calm and he wore a faint smile. "You are the first to set foot on here in a long time. This is the body of Empyrean Innominat, of me. Remember this well, Runette. A sight no human has ever seen in a thousand years, and of them there were only three before you."
Faint light surrounded him, the same in colour as those magnificent scales. Runette cowed almost on instinct, lowering her eyes from the god's face. Empyreans, she knew the Great Lords had been called that long ago. To hear it here, now, only made it all feel more real despite how dreamlike it was. Her heart meant to shut itself off, her will demanded she refuse this, but the sight and feelings, this smallness she had never felt before, asserted the faith she thought long lost; the faith that originally made her join the church.
Standing atop the heavens, so close to the physical manifestation of a true god, Runette Forton began to believe in earnest once more. Laphicet, no, Innominat inclined his head with a motion for Velvet. "I would like to introduce you to my divine sister's true form as well, but she is currently out of reach."
Runette paid no mind to the apology and bent at the waist in a deep bow, her headdress falling down to reveal silky, discoloured hair. "It is of no concern, oh Empyrean. My pride refuses me to be your servant, but to aid your cause would be my greatest honour." With a start, she realised that she meant it. Every word.
Surprisingly however, her refusal to serve elicited no anger. Just annoyance from Velvet, who waved her hand dismissively. "We don't need servants. Your life is your own, just like your decisions."
Once Runette stood upright again, the goddess offered her hand to her; the right, unbandaged one. Of course it made sense she was different, now. Runette was different too, her true form allowing to stand at eye level with Velvet. She took the hand without hesitation, smiling brighter than she had in a long time.