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Worth remembering? So then he wasn't, huh. Koshabi bristled a bit, surprised to find himself offended over something so small--what others had thought hadn't mattered up until now.

And yet she was reaching for his hand and saying she was glad they had met. He did not know what to think of the way his heart seemed to agree, for all their growling and competition. Maybe that was just . . . normal.

"Hmph." A wry grin was passed to Sheenah. "It counters creation and swallows pride whole. It is the only thing." And et it bothered him that they would not choose the same path and continue to bother each other. Perhaps they would. Perhaps he would have further reason to oppose her for the fun of it after this--if there was one.

His hand slid from hers, but he did impulsively brush a wing lightly against her as he passed. "May you find peace in your choice," Koshabi found himself saying without looking back.

His eyes were still skyward, to the destruction that was slowly engulfing the world--

The last time? She knew he was probably right, but his words still made her sad. They were giving up their hearts, after that… She hadn’t expected him to touch her face like that, hadn’t expected to feel his lips pressed against hers. This was nice. A tiny piece of quiet perfection, something that felt right and made her heart warm. She pressed back, returning his kiss, even if it lasted only for the briefest of moments. Her way of trying to tell him that it was okay, that she would be glad to have this memory, and that she didn’t want to say goodbye.

She forced her own smile, sad to match his, as he pulled away from her. Some piece of her wished for words, but they were stuck in her chest, near her heart, and pulling them up would only cause her to cry. Besides, he was gone a moment later, turning from her, running. Her fingers rose to her cheek, where his had been as she watched him go. He went to red.

Could shadows cry? She was sure she was crying. She didn’t want to cry, she wanted to be happy, but she could not be, not with the final sacrifice being now. Bittersweet. The word must have been in her vocabulary somewhere, because it bubbled up. Yes. That’s how she felt. Happy and sad. There was joy and pain in her heart.

Her heart. She’d have to choose. Choose who to sacrifice it to. She wondered if it would still count, since she was pretty sure her heart belonged to Kaje. Of course it would. That was a figure of speech, and there was more to her heart that just love. There were the memories, and she knew they were not all of him. Even these new ones.

Some part of her wanted to follow him. Some reckless part that didn’t care if destruction was all she’d know after. Rhryse shook her head at that. No. He’d been right. She would not be following him. Some part of her knew he didn’t want her to. He would have asked her join him otherwise, but instead he’d told her goodbye. Besides, she had questions.

So many questions. There was still more to learn. So she turned away the red. He was already gone, and he’d been what mattered there. She turned and faced the trees of green. Her choice would be there. Even if it hurt her heart to choose a different path. She didn’t understand it. He was gone, he’d said goodbye, so why did it still hurt?

It had hurt the other time her heart was ripped out. It had been cut then, but it still hurt and burned. This time… the pain was bearable, just barely. It had to be, or else she wouldn’t have been able to do it. It hurt, it was frightening. She almost wanted to stop, but she couldn’t. Even if she could, she’d still be sad. So she kept tearing, pulling her heart out, aware of memories that came leaking out with it. She stepped forward, holding it out for her offering.

"You have made the correct choice. This is the end for you, but the beginning for me. Your sacrifice will not be in vain."

It hurt, not having a heart. It hurt, those memories slipping away. She could see things, remember things. People. People yelling. Calling her by a name…

Fog.

She had been so small. So insignificant. So weak that the fog could take her back, that the cauldron from whence she had come could hold her. And now that she was back, Rippie could see she had missed quite a bit--namely, many chances to prove herself.

So . . . she was nothing, then. Her heart couldn't stand the label.

You will not be forgotten.
A wall does not protect, a wall can only buy you time.
We love you most.

Or maybe they were all just lying. Rippie didn't know what to think because she was, after all, a failure.

Offer to us your heart.

Fine. It was probably worthless anyway.

And when she passed through the door, the world was mostly empty and in chaos. Colors assaulted her senses until she cowered on the ground, feeling as small and weak as she had in the beginning. If they wanted it so bad, just . . .take it.

She hadn't lived at all, so what was the point? She had wasted their blessing and now it was time to give it back. Her name wasn't her own? Fine. She didn't care anymore (and probably never had). Her existence was a joke nobody would care about anyway.

Rippie did as her name intended: her heart would go to destruction, because if there was even one chance of salvaging herself, then she had to be make sure she was stronger.

Every time he left this place Stew told himself he would never return, yet he always found his way back again, called by the Goddesses, made to forget. The worst part, perhaps, was that he remembered he had been here at all, just not the whys behind his visits.

He hadn't noticed that his heart had changed until now. It swirled with blues, greens, even the purest white. Stew watched it for a while, a small smile tugging at his lips as red and yellow fought for dominance. Soon, however, the sight of his own glowing heart bored him, no matter how intriguing its shifts were. He began to circle the room, drawn first to the empty pedestals.

Anguish, Vanity, Malevolence, Affliction. He felt no particular allegiance to any of them. It was only when he approached the statues he was already familiar with that his smile grew, an affectionate expression for the ones who had given him this life. He read their plaques, expecting to see familiar words. Instead, he found new questions. Final trials? Walls? Memories?

Stew felt something pull at his heart, and as he turned to meet it, the shrine went white and silent, a swirling, empty mist surrounding him. For a moment he felt nothing, no irritation over what he couldn't recall, no questions he couldn't answer, but this serenity didn't last, not when he saw the sentence inscribed on the door now in front of him.


His hand rose to cover the glow at his chest. He protested, loudly, but the fog swallowed his voice. It swallowed everything. Stew turned his back to the door, retreating even though it shamed him to do so. He walked away with purpose in each angry stomp, but the door only rose in front of him again and again and again as he tried to get away. There was no turning back, even when the thought of giving up his heart filled him with such directionless rage that he screamed, only to have the sound consumed once more.

There was nothing else he could do. He had to go through the door. And with that thought, he did. Once he had given in, there was nothing holding him back.

Stew tried to ignore the statues at first, but he was as drawn to them as he always had been. His attention shifted quickly when he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. A face here, a limb there, a heart. Why hadn't they given up theirs? It wasn't fair.

He didn't have time to pout. The memories crept into his consciousness as slowly as the fog, forcing themselves back into the spots in his head from where they had been pulled. They no longer fit. This time when Stew cried out, he could hear it. He bit his lips together and frowned.

The ground began to shake.

There was nothing but red. Ruin. The moon.

All of his protests burned away.

He couldn't breathe as she spoke, but it didn't matter. The moon was all he could see, all he could hear, all he could taste and touch. It was all he needed. When the green and gold burst forth, tainting the red, Stew shrieked and clawed at his chest. The quiet part of his mind urged him to consider his decision slowly, but there was no decision. He wanted the others gone. There was only Destruction, and he was hers.

When he finally dug through the resistance his own fragmented flesh presented and released his heart, Stew was empty. He held up his hands, offering his glowing sacrifice to Destruction.

He hadn't done enough. He knew this, as he approached the shrine this final time, following the calling that had brought so many others here as well. He read the labels on the statues, followed the path through the door, read that as well, and found himself on the other side, remembering that which he had forgotten.

It wasn't much. In fact, it was so little, so insignificant, and such a meaningless memory, he would more then happily return it. He knew he had not done as much as he could have, as he should have. He knew he had spent too much time hiding, not wanting to do anymore, not caring about receiving the blessings or a higher station. He knew that he had been wrong, and that he would be lucky if the goddesses didn't destroy him now for how worthless he had been.

And yet, he was still given the choice. He was still allowed to choose who to give his final sacrifice too, who would get the gift of possessing his useless, worthless heart.

Destruction.

It was an easy choice, as he felt like he had already destroyed himself. He could only hold on to the barest glimmer of hope that he would be allowed to redeem himself at a later time, that after this, he could be allowed to come back, to try again, and perhaps this time, to not disappoint.

He offered himself to destruction and that was the end of it.

Farina had been lazy.

It wasn't that she did not want to become a goddess. On the contrary, the idea of being so powerful, of being so known--that appealed to something innate in Farina for reasons she did not quite understand. She just ... despised being told what to do and when to do it. Sure, Farina loved to kiss up, but it was on her own terms, not on the terms of some damnable statue.

It was hard to say why she had arrived to the room full of statues this time. She felt like she was beckoned on a string, as she had been before, but she had resisted the pull before. This time, though, it felt so strong, tugging at her very heart herself and all but forcing her over to their wills and wishes.

The room seemed different this time, though Farina could not place why. What she could place, though, was the differences in the plaques, and the always curious Farina decided to bend down and give each one a look over, in case they were saying words that might be relevant or ... explain why she was here, in fact.

Your fourth and final Trial is near. Your fragments will be tested, do not falter. You will not be forgotten.
A wall does not protect, a wall can only buy you time. A wall can only give you what you need to carry on.

Farina honestly hadn't a clue what any of those sayings meant. A wall? What wall? There seemed to be no wall where she stood, nor could she recall a wall in The Spire, unless they were speaking of the World's End and how nothing existed beyond it ... but even then, that made little sense. Farina mulled over it, for a moment, before turning to the third and final plaque, eyes scanning over it before ... widening rather significantly.

Your fragments, your memories will guide the way. Sacrifice them for us. We love you most.

It was chilling, for a moment, but then her mind was on something else. It had grown harder to see, a similar fog surrounding her and beckoning her. Farina followed it like a dog on a leash, ending up square in front of the door of many different colors.

There was no way she could turn back now.

Farina knew it, even as she pressed her hands against the doors and entered, her heart thumping in her chest in the anticipation and wonder. Her heart? Her eyes looked around, picking out other faces, none she could personally recognize but all that she could see, with hearts glowing in different sorts of colors, swishing and mixing and becoming a rainbow. Farina looked down at herself and found that, she, too, had a heart of many colors, eyes closing as she hummed softly.

The colors were comforting, though she remembered little. What was not comforting was the other shifts she had noticed around her, the suddenly blue paranoia goddess and the suddenly purple longing one. What is being demanded of her was clear--she was to sacrifice herself for them. Ultimately, her life was just for them, and her heart was just ... for them. It was a feeling that made the possessive Farina scream inside, wanting to hunker down in the corner and demand that no, they couldn't have her, they couldn't have ****--

The world was turning red, much like the anger she felt rising in her gut, fueling it more as she heard the moon turn to her, envelop her world, and speak of becoming a queen. Or being a queen. Or something. The whole world was hers and she needed to return her heart to allow it? Farina didn't belong to anyone. There was a rising anger that formed, and she stood up, ready to scream at the moon, but then it ... faded ...

And something better cut in.

She hadn't a choice. Her heart was gone either way. She needed to sacrifice her heart, but to the red moon, she would not. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the large, shining castle in the distance. To be remembered? That was something Farina truly wished for. Perhaps it was not as deep as the craving to understand, and her eyes flickered over to the Green, but after a moment, her decision was resolute. Eyes shifted back to the Gold, and she advanced, step by step, into the hallway. It was too late to turn back now, but ...

She would not be forgotten. That was what she wished for, wasn't it? To be renowned?

The pain was unbearable, even as she tore her heart out and attempted to set it on the golden throne.

"I like to ... dance."

"I always try to make a good impression, sir."

There was something on the edge of her fracturing consciousness, a scream of something that surprised her. What was that? Was she hearing her --

true name?

It was arguable that Shiohlu didn’t understand the full gravity of the situation. He skipped into the Shrine as soon as he was beckoned, his face as curious and inquisitive as ever.

The appearance of a new door, brilliant with all of its colored gems had him hurrying excitedly past the statues and their podiums, eager to inspect it. Shiny and new, he ran his hands over it as the fog crept back into the room, over his feet and around his legs. Something had called him to this place, to this door. He felt it in his very core, and Shiohlu pushed through the door without hesitation, humming with excitement.



The next room confused him, being much the same as the first. But his Goddesses are differently coloured now, his patron spirit a deep violet instead of her usual blue.

But their forms were still the same, and they were still his Goddesses. He longed to join them and to stand winged amongst their ranks. They promised him this and he smiled. They promised it to all of the shadows and their beating hearts, so blessed were these stony deities. His heart burst into a rainbow of colors, reflecting off of the goddesses and shadows around him and Shiohlu grinned. They were all a part of this, intertwined and connected. More than that, there were memories, tucked deep within his heart that resonated with the others and drew him to them. And there was something else, something he knew but couldn’t quite remember. A name. He closed his eyes, struggling to grasp it in his mind but the word is just out of reach, and a loud crack awoke him from his reverie, the man shielding his eyes from the sudden blinding red.

The moon glared at him, volatile. Shiohlu shrank back from it but it held him tight in its clawed grasp, determined to recruit him to its plight. It hurt, and Shiohlu whimpered, listening fearfully as the moon spoke to him.

Then, as quick as it began, it was over.

One foot, then the other, he remembered how to walk and shuffled forward until the sky split, bursting into colour like his heart had only moments before. Green and gold tore through the fabric of the red sky, their colours spilling over beautiful and splendid.

At once, everything is peaceful.

Shiohlu, having escaped the smothering hold of red’s vengeful feelings, walked happily beneath the gold-green skies, watching with mild curiosity as they calmed the fiery red. Around him, ruin faded into splendor, great trees sprouting from the earth and towering over him. A castle looms vast in the distance and Shiohlu’s eyes went wide with wonderment, staring in awe at everything around him. He had to remind himself to focus, remembering the task at hand. The threads of his fate had been spun in a different direction and he owed his heart to the Goddesses.

He touched his hand to his chest, and nodded his head. For them, he would do this.

For Creation, and for greater things.

A call? It was more like an endless whistle in her ears that regardless how much she may have not wanted to come there was no way it would let her ignore it. Footsteps clicking on the floor as she came into the shrine soon overtook the whistling in her head as she approached the three familiar ones setting on their pedestals. Mel'ae was perplexed on how to feel and circled each pedestal reading their instructions.

Taking a step back her eyes continued to watch them, waiting for anything else. "Prayer" was not a part of this, but something answered her silence and her body was turned towards the door. It was a hollow feeling that nothing could really surprise her anymore. Inside her core was pulsing with colors, leading her forward to stare at the strange gateway to have appeared.

Shifting through the sudden whiteness she came upon her and she was trapped in a trance of sorts, moving along the ripples of the fog and coming to a halt near the towering door.

Offer to us your Heart.

Instinctively a hand went over her heart and she took a step back. It was time then, wasn't it? Mel'ae closed her eyes and took a deep breath in. Reluctant, she had to think. Purpose. This was purpose, this was what was meant to be! ...Right? Opening her eyes she stared at the door, reaching out and placing a hand on it. A freezing burn met her fingers and she recoiled backwards.

Mel'ae continued to tinker away in her brain, looking down and opening her palm from her heart. A rainbow of color was lit up, but dimming quickly. Do not fear. Though her mind was pumping the words into her she was still standing still, staring. "I have to know what happens though." Her voice said softly to the empty fog. More than a need to know, a hunger deep inside drove it. Clenching her fists away from her body she moved forward, pushing the cold doors open and moving forward into them.

Mind-numbing silence is what met her as she forced herself into - the same room she just left? Turning back yielded no other answers and she continued on. On the familiar pedestals the colors had changed and the Goddesses had a strange new aura around them. Flicking her gaze to the pedestals made her seize. Hurriedly to the others they all said the same thing and she moved back, looking at all three. Apprehension was flowing through her - but not for sake of losing herself but for sake of perhaps not knowing what would happen next. Assurance wasn't precisely flowing through the Goddesses and Mel'ae had felt the bouncing happiness of herself dull down into the insatiable curiosity - she had to know what happened after the fact.

It was becoming increasingly clear she would have to act to get her answer.

Movement of others near her drew her attention and she watched as others neared other. Other shadows like those she had spoken to, fought with and watched as several had wandered away to not return. Were they there too? A brightness of color made her fall backwards onto the ground and she held her heart, heaving a few times.

Searing pain.

Mel'ae held her head and shook it violently as images poured into her, filling her to flooding within moments. Shaking her head she held herself, slowly rising again. It was her, it had to have been her but it felt wrong, like she was watching as a spectator and not as a participant. Inside it was roaring, something she knew and yet could not place. Could not even hope to guess and she bit her lips instead, drawing a blank.

The pain of those memories was ripping through her and she could barely stand. Fear, happiness and confusion swept throughout and paralyzed her for what seemed to be moments on end. Underneath her the shaking of the ground was the only thing to pull her back and she struggled to stay in one place. The redness above was blinding to her.

Taking hold with barely a fight her eyes reflecting the glowing crimson of the moon above. All else around had faded and she could only stare as it inched closer and closer, falling down. Fluttering her eyes she felt herself dim, taken into the brightness as the words echoed far out, smothering her in their booming anguish.

A cruel story which words could echo through the ages filled her body and she do little more than listen with their lashing hatred burning at her. She wanted to speak out, move, wriggle or do anything than only listen. In a slow movement she felt herself go forward from it.

Others began to speak and she blinked back from the red trance. But there is more after. Was her silent response as the sky split into a heavenly show of green and gold among the red, devouring it slowly as the three colors took flight in odd shapes and moved like waves over the sky. Peaceful as it was her mind was assimilating to the memories. And then a sudden epiphany.

My name is not Mel'ae. Less shocking and more perplexing she thought on it, taking a few steps to make sure her legs were still in working order. Her true name was out of reach of her mind.

Pulling away from the self she could see the world melting around her, changing and churning into something different. Away from all the was and into what it would become. A jungle of garden had nearly swallowed her up and the last glimmering glance of the castle in the distance had peaked her interest.

Words filled her mind and she closed her eyes, taking them into her. Apprehension had parked itself far away from her body - she was ready now. Opening her eyes she felt them fill with Green. "I need to know." Moving on itself she moved towards the forested protection of Creation. The hand against her heart was shaking and her pink eyes sat half-lid, nodding to it as she began to push inward. What if it is for nothing? What if you are forever lost? What if- A cycle of doubt continued to work its course as her fingers moved on their own.

It was too late to stop.

As she pushed towards it a memory of sadness moved into her. The one she loved and had grown with was leaving her all over again and she was left in the dark house on her own. Mel'ae screamed it away, shoving her hand deeper into her chest. Gasping she fell to her knees.

At a young age she had been so curious, wanting to see more of the world. It had driven her to go to the school and she had only been a new soul before any of it had begin. Family ties were strong and she had not yet learned the joys of friendship save for the other shadows here. Heaving her breath she blinked back tears. What had happened to them? All she had learned before and now was coming to a darkened end. A sadness came through her - all of the experiences recently and all of those known to her in the past were going to fade as she did.

Feeling a warmth around her fingers she had finally grabbed it, pulling it from its prison with tears rolling down her cheeks. From having her heart stolen before and taking one she could feel the same pain roaring through herself. Moving to her feet she held it like a child and took large sumo-wrestling type steps before holding it out while her body quivered.

Words filled her and a soft smile was on her lips. "Want to.... learn..." The sentence had lost meaning from the pain wracking through her body. Heart gone she had fallen to her knees. A soft laughter on her lips as from far away she heard the muffled screaming from others, a name called into the wind.

"******!"

A name was called to her but she couldn't understand the meaning and her eyes closed again reluctantly. A jerk in her body moved her limply but all that remained was a small smile on her lips before she felt herself swallowed by the coldness of a silent, emotionless nothingness.

OOC

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Character name: Mel'ae
Character appearance: Petite figure with a red core, two long ears hanging down on the side. A shining skull pin is on the side of her tattered dress.
Link to Heart Log [Here]
Current HP 50/50
Current weapon equippedPain Spike