Soul laid face first on the ground, groaning from the uncomfortable planting he'd received coming out of the painted world. Maka was right next to him, starting to pick herself up. Soul began to ponder how long he could just lay here on the pavement. It'd been a hell of a long day. He didn't get too long to ponder it, however.
"Yahoo!"
His loudmouthed friend announced himself as he rocketed out of the painted world with Tsubaki in his arms, the two landing right on top of Soul. He could've sworn he felt a bone crack as Black Star's elbow smashed into his back. It didn't get any better when Liz, Patty, and Solaire shot out as well, like some kind of demented clown car, piling on top. Kid, with typical grace, spun himself in midair and landed on his feet next to the pile.
"Ugh. Get off, you idiot!" Soul tried futilely to elbow Black Star off him. He twisted his head around and saw Maka looking down with an amused expression, though she helped Liz and Patty to their feet. Black Star rolled off and bounced to his feet and yanked Soul up with an arm.
"Heh, sorry 'bout that," Black Star said with a grin. "I know you're not as durable as a god like me, I'll try to be more careful in the future."
Soul muttered something under his breath about "no good idiots" and staggered away rubbing his back. Solaire, the last to pick himself, approached Priscilla, who had been watching the small catastrophe unfold with curiosity. He held a hand up as he approached.
"Lady Priscilla," he spoke in his commanding voice. "Allow me to thank you for taking such a step. I know it is not easy to change your course and leave the comfort of safety, especially when the gods disapprove of you. It reflects well on your nature that you offer us aid."
Priscilla looked down at his hand, still held up, with an unreadable expression. Finally, she allowed herself a small smile, and accepted it, reaching down.
"You are too kind, Sir Solaire," she said softly, nodding her head slightly.
"If I might interrupt," Kid approached the two, Maka just behind him. "But we still have a bell to ring, don't we, Solaire?"
"Ah, of course!" Solaire boomed. "Well, actually there are two bells, but yes, the first bell of awakening awaits us atop this church!"
"Wait, there's two?" Maka asked. "Why didn't you mention that?"
"I did not think it would matter much, Miss Maka. We must ring them to open the fortress. I thought we would approach them one at a time."
Maka sighed. Their seemingly scatterbrained host led the group back up the staircase to the main level of the church. Black Star was visibly twitching as he followed up behind Priscilla. Tsubaki looked at him curiously.
"Is something wrong, Black Star?" she asked.
"I… I shouldn't," Black Star muttered back in consternation as they approached the second level.
"Shouldn't what? What's bothering you?" She asked again, now clearly worried. They started to spread out, looking for the approach to the roof.
"Hey Priscilla!" Black Star finally snapped. "What's with the tail?"
Maka and Tsubaki immediately brought a hand to their respective faces. Leave it to Black Star. Priscilla twirled on the spot, looking down at Black Star with uncertainty.
"It… It is a mark of my heritage," she said. "From Father," she added. "It is from him I received my draconic heritage."
"You're a dragon?" Kid asked incredulously.
"Only partial," she responded. "It is… another reason Lord Gwyn did not approve. Father was the only one he ever trusted."
"Well, that doesn't mean jack now anyways!" Black Star said, giving her a thumbs up. "Whoever this Gwyn jerk is, he's gone now." Priscilla tilted her head slightly, looking completely baffled at her energetic new companion.
"What is this?" she asked, trying to replicate the gesture. "What is its meaning?"
"It's a thumbs up," he answered. "It's… uh, well, it means… uh, it just means 'good job' or something like that."
"This is a common gesture?" She continued.
"Only with this idiot. Don't let him bug you too much," Soul intervened. "Besides-"
"Hey, I think I found the way up to the roof!" Maka's announcement interrupted. She was standing at the far end, peering up at a metal ladder that ended in a small frame of sunlight.
"Excellent find, Miss Maka!" Solaire commended her. He took spot beside her and looked up as well. "We can finish this and be on to Blight Town." He grasped the rungs and began climbing while Soul strolled up behind her.
"Uh… Blight Town?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. Solaire either didn't hear her or pretended not to, continuing his ascent. A short gust blew behind them as Black Star leaped up past Solaire in a single bound, showing off his agility by propelling himself up to the top by kicking off a rung halfway up.
"C'mon, slowpokes!" No sooner had Black Star finished his taunt, Tsubaki materialized by his side, apparently having opted for the free ride up. Kid wasted little time summoning Beelzebub, opting to spiral his way up with Liz and Patty in tow, holding on behind him. Priscilla looked up in surprise as Solaire joined the other five at the top.
"They possess flight?" she asked, looking down at Maka.
"Yeah, Kid does," Soul answered her. "Black Star just wishes he could. He just jumps good," he finished with a smirk.
"Your grammar is atrocious," Maka admonished him.
"Eh. Heard the line in a TV show once. Anyways, get going," he said, jerking a thumb upwards.
"Oh no, you're going first," Maka replied, narrowing her eyes.
"Huh?" Maka glared at him and tugged at her skirt. Soul rolled his eyes and took the first rung without saying a word. Reaching the top, he waited for his meister and offered a hand to yank her up as she reached the top as well. Priscilla, however, looked slightly puzzled at the ladder, which was clearly not designed for someone of her stature. After a couple seconds, she seemed to work it out, and began to climb up four rungs at a time. Solaire and Kid decided to take the first steps out through the large, arched doorway onto the roof. The sun was finally beginning to set. The roof was tiled with ancient shingles. Patches of the tiling were rotted away, showing the cement below. Lining each side, as silent sentinels, were large, stone gargoyles, each the size of a large vehicle. At the far end was the bell tower. Four more gargoyles, one on each cardinal direction, glared down from the top.
"So, how do we ring this thing, anyways?" Soul asked as he, Maka, and Prisilla brought up the rear. "There a rope to pull or something?"
"No, I believe it's simply a triggering device that rings the bell. It's supposed to be up at the top," Solaire answered, pointing to the top of the tower.
Soul yawned. "Think you can handle this, Kid?" He asked, sitting down next to the archway and letting his head droop. Kid gave Soul an annoyed glare, but nonetheless hopped on Beelzebub.
"Back in eight seconds," he said to Liz and Patty, and shot to the sky. He circled around the tower a couple of times, scouting it out, not eager for a repeat venture with the bull demon. Wheeling around a second time, he heard a cracking sound, like twigs being snapped. His head shot to attention, looking for the source. Each of the four gargoyles on the tower was snapping to life. Their wings spread out, their heads snapped up. Each one gripped large, bronze halberds and jolted their attention to Kid, hovering just feet away. Kid instinctively kicked the board and rocketed back to the roof as the nearest gargoyle launched itself at him. He dodged a downward thrust from its halberd and the animated stone creature plummeted to the roof, landing with a thunderous crash.
Soul snapped up from his position at the sound, needing no command from Maka to take his battle position. Kid landed next to Liz and Patty, who likewise Soul, needed no order here. Black Star lounged up beside Solaire and Maka, a grin on his face as he held Tsubaki's demon blade form; the characteristic black markings began creeping up his face.
"Priscilla, if you need to stay out of this, we can handle this," Maka said to the dragon woman behind her, not taking her eyes off the gargoyle in front of them as the other three plummeted down beside it.
Kid took back to the skies as the stone beasts began a mad rush at their formation, firing off a barrage from their flank. The shots did little to halt the advance of the first two gargoyles, which ambled up on their hind legs. They dropped back to all fours and screeched for a moment before rearing their head backs and unleashing a stream of fire in front of them. Black Star immediately vaulted himself with a single bound over the flames, while Maka planted Soul into the shingling and used him to vault herself over as well, landing just behind them. Solaire, lacking comparable agility, instead scrambled backwards into Priscilla, and back into the doorway.
Black Star and Maka both followed their forward momentum and rushed into the next two gargoyles, which were raising their halberds for attacks. Maka rolled past the first attack and made an upward slice, carving a chunk of stone out of her target's shoulder.
"Maka, behind you!" Kid shouted as he took up a position on the tower. She turned and just ducked out of the way in time to avoid an axe strike from the tail of one of the first two gargoyles, which continued to suppress Solaire with fire while it lashed out with its tail.
Meanwhile, Black Star was fighting off the other two gargoyles, weaving between a gauntlet of halberd swings and axe strikes. Finally, he relented and leaped far to the back, landing next to Maka, the two facing down three of the gargoyles, both panting from exertion and a lack of rest.
"When the opportunity presents itself, will you have my back, my Lady?" Solaire asked her while he waited beyond the breath of fire.
"Of course, Knight," she said in a steeled tone. A small "hmph" was all she got in return as Solaire stood back just slightly and shifted his sword to his left hand, grasping it underneath the shield. She watched in curiosity as he withdrew a small, object made of a plain, brown cloth from the satchel at his waist. He held his right hand aloft, and a brilliant light began to glow around it. The gargoyles finally gave up their suppression and thrashed around to respond to the advances of the Death City meisters. The light in Solaire's hand began to crackle, and it took form into the shape of a lance. Priscilla gasped and gave Solaire a bewildered gaze as she began to understand.
"Huzzah!" The knight bellowed, throwing the bolt of lightning with gusto at the flank of the left-most gargoyle. The blast ripped apart its right flank sending stone flying and the creature to the ground. Solaire stowed the object back, re-armed himself with his sword, and took off at a spring at the wounded gargoyle. Priscilla shook her head, ducked under the archway, and transformed her right arm into the curved, bluish-grey steel blade. Solaire rolled to the side as the wounded gargoyle thrashed in reverse, howling at the sky. Its partner swung down a halberd blow, but was deflected as Priscilla swatted it to the side. Sensing his opportunity, Solaire ducked down and leveraged himself up into the gargoyle's chest, charging with his shield raised, as it tried to claw onto him. He rammed his sword into its midsection, and, in spite of the creature's mass, shoved it back. He withdrew his sword and rammed it in once more, then thrice, each time carving out a new hole. With a grunt, he finally gave a great heave and sent the creature toppling onto its back.
Solaire gave a sigh of relief as it ceased moving, and evaluated the battlefield. Priscilla had worked herself to the second gargoyle's side, leveraging her superior height into a submission hold, her scythe blade carving apart the beast's shoulder, but still out of reach of its trashing tail. The third and fourth gargoyles were engaged in a bizarre chase, both interchanging targets as Black Star danced around them, trying to give Maka and Kid a clear shot. With Priscilla quickly subduing the second gargoyle, Solaire contented himself with observing his new companions. Surely, their valour was sufficient to defeat two of the beasts.
His faith was quickly rewarded as Black Star delivered a thunderous punch to one of the gargoyle's faces, before readjusting himself and launching over the second one entire. Maka and Soul took advantage, resonating their souls until his blade turned a brilliant white, and his blade became more akin to a monk's spade than a true scythe. With a single stroke, she bisected the beast from shoulder to thigh with the Demon Hunter. The last beast attempted to turn on her, but Black Star intercepted it, appearing before the beast in a blink. The demon blade's tendrils ensnared the beast's halberd, and Black Star sliced encumbered gargoyle's head off with a quick stroke.
With a sigh, Maka sat down, Soul materializing by her side, the two resting their backs to the granite bell tower. She closed her eyes and let her hand fall on his, the two taking a small comfort in each other's grip. Kid and the sisters dropped down off of Beelzebub as Solaire and Priscilla walked across, taking care to step around the fallen monsters.
"Dang…" Black Star said with a bit of awe as the two joined. "You both killed the other two? Damn, we've gotta keep a better pace if I'm going to become a god, Tsubaki!" He boasted. She simply smiled at him and chuckled quietly before putting an arm around his waist and letting her head rest against his shoulder.
"Maybe tomorrow, Black Star. I'm sure we'll do better tomorrow," she said, the exhaustion in her voice apparent.
"That was quite impressive, Priscilla," Kid commented to her. "You are trained in combat? You took that gargoyle down quite fast."
"No, my lord," she said with a curt bow. "I simply wished to contribute to the battle. I do not desire to be a burden upon you." Kid raised an eyebrow.
"You've received no battle training?"
"Not since I was very young. Father wished me to fight, but when Gwynn expressed his disapproval, my training stopped."
"Yes, an excellent show all around, my companions!" Solaire boasted. "Even you, young Black Star," he said, an almost teasing tone to his voice.
"Hey now, I'll let you know-" Black Star was cut off when he collapsed in a heap to the roof. "Ugh… okay, maybe it is a good time to rest," he said. "Just for a few minutes, anyways, I'll be good as new!" he proclaimed, raising a hand, finger pointed to the sky, but still face first on the roof.
"Yes, it seems you're all a bit tuckered out," Solaire noted. "Allow me a moment; I shall ascend the tower to ring the bell. When I am done, this church should be secure as any place to take a short rest."
With that, the knight entered the tower, leaving the rest to bask in the sunset. Liz and Patty stretched as they wandered toward the side to watch the sun's last moments.
"Hey, Sis, look, it's the fire!" Patty pointed down.
Liz' face contorted as realization dawned on her. "No way…. You have to be kidding me," she muttered, bring a hand to her face. Sure enough, not even one hundred yards away, albeit down a steep cliff, was the first camp fire at which they had met Solaire.
"What's the matter?" Kid asked, having just overheard the latter end of their exchange.
"That, Kid," Liz pointed down to the Firelink Shrine. "This whole time, you could've just flown up here, but no, we marched through an entire town and castle full of crazy zombies."
"Well, to be fair, we probably would have had to go the long way anyways, Liz," Kid pointed out as Patty chuckled at her sister's annoyance. "It would have been, at best, incredibly tedious defeating these sentinels ourselves."
Liz sighed. "Fine, whatever," she said, shrugging him off.
"Are you alright, Elizabeth?" he asked, taking her aside. "I mean… with all of this. It's been a bizarre day. With Maka, and this curse, and all of this news about old gods…"
"I figured I'd be asking you that, Kid," she said with a small smirk. It died off quickly. "No, I'm really not okay. There's something… wrong with me. And Patty, and everyone else. And I want to ask Maka what happened. I'm scared for Patty. Even if she doesn't…. die, exactly, it would be even worse to see her turn into some kind of monster like these people here." She looked over at him with a serious gaze.
"What about you, Kid? I mean, you're not like us. What's your take on all this stuff about gods, and this dragon lady?"
"I admit, I'm curious. Solaire and that other knight seemed to know about another Shinigami, Nito. Honorable Father has never said anything about previous shinigami. I don't know how old he is. I don't even know if he even had a beginning, or if he's just always been there." Kid's gaze darkened. "There's apparently a lot I still don't even know about myself."
"Hey," she said, putting an arm around his shoulder. "You can just ask him, I bet. We'll just call him once Solaire's finished-" As if on cue, a great, bass ring came from the top of the tower, signifying Solaire's success.
Kid gave her a small smile. "Of course, dear." He looked over to his friends. Tsubaki sitting next to Black Star, smiling as Liz poked him in amusement. Soul and Maka looking oddly tranquil next to each other, a bizarre scene for anyone accustomed to their bickering. And their new guest, Priscilla, quiet, her hands folded, looking almost forlornly at the scene of peace.
"Well done, everyone!" Solaire emerged from tower with his usual joviality. "Now, as promised, let us rest and recoup for another day of adventure!"
Liz and Kid looked at him briefly before returning their gazes to each other.
"Adventure, he calls it," Liz grumbled.
A/N: My apologies for the immense delay in updating, y'all. There was a small emergency in my RL, as well as an enormous amount of writer's block in regards to the gargoyle fight. I'm not entirely pleased with how it turned out, but I wanted this done so I could continue with the story. Thank you, once again, for your patience, your reviews, and your critiques. As always, I'm up for any critiques or reviews you might have. They're really one of the best ways for me to improve, getting an unbiased opinion. Have an excellent day.