Ubisques - 1

It is said to be a flower of the dead, of the damned of the world. Those that the gods themselves found no purpose in. But was that really true, did dear Sariel commit such a crime against her people, or was it just a rumor. 

I could never believe it, for our goddess was a benevolent one, she never wanted war, she never wanted famine nor plaque. Yet it happened anyways, was this her way of warning people or was it truly such a coincidence.

It was for this reason that I set out on many adventures, traveled to lands many would never dare to set foot on, but I was protected by the Goddess and her grace. There was nary a land that would harm me.

But it was in my old age that I finally came across the flower, the scent that it held was truly unique, for one as old as I it was a sight for sore eyes. Amongst the rotting corpses that laid unjustly across the field of battle, so torn from the spells and blades that had been placed.

It was here that I truly found the flower. A blossom that turned the darkest shade of black, absorbing the corpses.

And so I stayed, for days on end, watching the flowers bloom into a brilliant white, only to be cast by a shadow of black and join their companions in their rest.

But on the third day of observation something strange happened that I could nary tell a soul, only the voices that read this journal. 

The goddess's touch, she placed her hand upon the grove of flowers, and after days of intense soul searching, a search I could only hope to replicate, only then had she stopped, smiled at me. And with a gaze so distant, disappeared.

It was a magnificent sight, but truly the resulting field of pure white flowers, blooming in moments surprised me, a sight that brought this old man to tears. Only then did I know the true purpose of this grove.

The goddess was not one of benevolent kindness nor one of war. But she who beckons those who died unjustly to the afterlife, even if she must feed upon the energy they create to do so.

It was beautiful, oh so beautiful.

…

…

…

Gabriel marked down the page. Reading through it had given him a sense of what these flowers were, or the lore around them. But how had he not known of this before.

The death of the goddess, and all of the gods. It could be that, but that doesn't happen for a long while, not until the end of the civil war.

Gabriel bit his nails, sharpening them into a point before clipping the rest off into the garbage.

Idly he touched the page, the slight tear marks that faded the words just slightly. He sighed before closing the book and looking to the sky.

'Sariel, huh' Gabriel found this question on his lips. Of why she had done something so, horrid yet so beautiful.

She was the guide to the underworld but of this world. Was it an invasion of the two, a war between worlds that she needed soldiers for.

Was that why she and the other gods had died. It was a mystery that could be solved later. As for now, well, Gabriel needed to prepare.

Everything was set up, the target, the enemies, even the stage. Now, all that was needed was the items, the equipment required to complete this raid.

Yet as he looked down to the streets below he found them filled with an unnatural amount of players, dirtied by the swamp and bloodied by the experiences.

Gabriel grimaced and flapped his wings once more, golden hair falling over his shoulders as his lithe body landed among the most confused and greatest group.

They turned, still wary from their journey. But Gabriel was stronger, better, and of course higher level.

Their attacks would never land, not that they would do anything. As they stood there, completely and utterly starstruck by the angel that had landed amongst them.

"Who are you?" One ventured, the leader if her equipment and authority told of anything.

She stood to the side of many, all as they gave way, her own body taller than Gabriel's own. Yet that did nothing to lessen the intimidation she felt at his form.

"Gabriel." He responded aptly, his own eyes gazing towards the dozens of players around, for every three or four of them, there was one that had eyes not of their own.

A confidence that told of their previous experience.

But this was a town that did not give a shit whether they were experienced or not, one wrong move at night and they would be dead.

"Introductions aside," Gabriel began, forgoing to ask them for their names in favor of leading them someplace they could stay while he talked to the woman, "Follow me, I may not have been tasked with leading the lot of you, but I can at least help you once."

There were whispered suspicions on why he would do such a thing but Gabriel merely ignored the rambling, all in favor of leading them to the center square, where he would then leave them in order to talk with their leader.

Yet to do such a thing he needed to get her alone first.

"I assume you're the leader." Gabriel addressed. His voice commanding, and his question coming more like a demand.

"I am," She reached out her hand only to gaze at Gabriel's neck and hiccup in surprise. A surprise that was well hidden once he had grasped her hand.

"Then come, we have much to discuss."

Gabriel let go of her hand, all in favor of leading her to a restaurant, one he knew was favored by Howard, as he had been told, and could order all he wanted. All of course on Howard's tab.

It wouldn't do for him to pay for such a thing, not since he had no money to his name.