Welcome to Gaia! ::

"And no amount of marks will give you that." Starania states. Her scales coming back when she sees how she grips her weapon. Sansa stands between Starania and Ryssa, glaring up at her. "But, it seems you've already been suckered into Araland's scheme...how much did this little thing cost you?" Starania laughs, knowing she could kill Sansa with a hard enough backhand. "The obedient ones like this are costly...trust me I know."

Starania grabs Sansa by the throat and lifts her into the air. She puts her hand up to signal to Ryssa to let her do this. "So, stripes...if I snap your neck will your loyalty remain? Are you willing to defy your god for this outsider?" Starania questions. She holds her other hand out for Finn to give her back her card. "Give me the card, lets see if she fights."
"UNHAND ME HEATHEN!" Sansa shouts, she kicks at Starania's face but the giant of a woman easily moves her head out of the way.
"My mother drowned me to be here, do you honestly think being called a heathen offends me?" Starania growls in response.

Ryssa/Finn- Starania takes the black card from Finn, holding it up for Sansa to see. "You pledge your loyalty to Him and this outsider, regardless on which way this goes, your word is useless isn't it? Your god promises freedom, yet steals all away with a piece of colored paper! You can't even feel how you want to feel!" Starania shouts. "How can you be so cruel? Look at her, look how she cares for you!" Starania demands, turning Sansa to look at Ryssa. Sansa looks away in shame as Starania puts the card in her hand. "That's right, that's the shame of being a slave."

Llangion- Takaku tilts his head to the right, concern in his eyes and he disappears.

Ryssa/Finn- "That hurts Starania..." Takaku comments. He stands down the dock, arms crossed, standing on both legs. "Put poor Sansa down, that sweet girls deserves none of this." Takaku orders. Starania looks at him, her body visibly shaking in fear but she puts Sansa down. She lowers her head to him, knowing she messed up serious. "You think yourself a slave to me Starania? I suppose any piece in a game feels the same with such a negative twist to it. I could give you freedom child, if you'd really like to challenge someone."
As he says this the whites of his eyes turn dark and appear to have a thousand galaxies within them. "You were such a sweet child, we got along so well, and I know your mother is...harsh...but you needn't spew such horrid lies. You know damn well all those in my game do so willingly, and you stand there tormenting her, scaring my guests, and breaking my rules. So, you want a choice to feel more free? You may challenge myself or your mother."
Starania quickly shakes her head, her form shrinks to that of a young human girl. She's dressed in a dark violet noblewoman's gown, her hair now long and typical of someone found at court side. She looks a bit like Alphamai in face alone, but this obviously was her appearance in life. She looks towards Finn, now a good foot shorter than him, and looks up at him, all her rough features changed into a delicate damsel's.
"Do you worry that I'll take you from him?" Takaku asks. Starania looks back at Takaku and nods.
"You took me from the ocean...you took me from my home...from everything I knew and loved. What stops you from doing it all over again?" Starania pries. Takaku heaves a sigh, rubbing his temples a bit.
"His odds?" Takaku answers. Starania looks down at that response then sighs. "It's his choice in the long run, just as it is Ryssa's...or Sansa's...or yours. You know what to do would you truly want it any other way."
"I...I couldn't do that..." Starania stammers.
"Then, do not drag down my name because of your weakness." Takaku grumbles in response. He heaves a sigh, this whole situation an unnecessary added drain. "So, anyone else want to add more pointless issues to my plate?"

I watch in stunned primal fear as Takaku torments Starania. Then I move in front of Starania and pick her up to leave.

-]Ryssa could not put words to the depths of relief that flooded her body as Sansa's card dropped from her hands. The feel of the girl's arms wrapping around Ryssa's body brouht tears to her eyes. The girl had essentially passed Starania's test, had proven that she and Ryssa had shared a special connection. It was pretty huge and said a lot about Sansa, for doing such a thing right in front of her god. Ryssa held the girl back tightly, only pulling away enough to turn and watch the "final game". It was odd, and simple....but mystifying. Ryssa had no idea what the number on the die meant or why Takaku seemed happy, but she dared not ask.[-

I stood there glaring at Takaku not sure what I could do and feeling enraged for it.