What should have been a simple life in the desert sand and stars becomes anything but. Haunted by dreams of a life of violence, and seeking answers as to why, Peridot and her friends find themselves caught in an ancient battle between Light and Dark...and find that the cost of being a soldier is higher than they might have ever thought.
CW: this part contains violence, eye trauma, gun violence, and death (both permanent and temporary) ...this section chose violence I am not sorry.
Peridot: --crap!
*thud*
Peridot: No...no no no!
Peridot: No--erk--
Obscuro: I have waited lifetimes for this moment...you shall not defeat me again...
Obscuro: No Light can ever defeat me...and your powers will free me.
Peridot: No--
Obscuro: Fool girl.
Peridot: Let...go...
Obscuro: *sigh* Once a Guardian, always a Guardian. So be it.
Obscuro: SLEEP
Peridot: ...m...
*thud*
Obscuro: Fool girl. No Light can vanquish the Dark. They will always be parts of one another.
Fern: You didn't hear her leave?
Celestial: No...and she's not answering her phone. Peri, come on...
Fern: This isn't like her.
Celestial: No it's not...and none of the others are answering either! Don't tell me he's moved already...
Fern: ...Celestial, can you use a sword?
Celestial: A claymore, but it's been a while.
Citrine: Whoa, hold on. Swords?
Fern: We may have to go after Parsley ourselves. I'm out of practice, but...
Celestial: If somebody would just answer their phone!
Citrine: I really don't like this. Even when we were fighting she'd at least text she was safe...
Fern: It's not like Peri to be this quiet...are the others answering?
Cel: No! No one's answering. I'm getting left on unread on everything!
Celestial: Come on! Where are you guys...
Citrine: Could Vita or Morte have...
Fern: Maybe? Caly and Papa Cal are still in the Realm so it's not them...
Celestial: ...okay, yeah, no, this isn't working. But where can we get swords on such short notice?
Fern: Uncle Mantis left a cache from when I was your age. we'll need the shovel and a map.
Celestial: Better than standing around here!
*knock on door*
Citrine: Oh tell me that's Peri having lost her key...
Fern: ...I don't think so, sunshine.
Vita: Fern! Open up--we've got problems!
Morte: And I swear if that rat followed us here--
--
Fern: ...oh, we're in it now.
Citrine: WHAT?! What do you mean, nearly got kidnapped!?
Vita: Exactly what it sounds like. We decided to move the kids to be safe, but when we we went to get Royal Cola, the Thrall was outside zer house.
Morte: Trying to break in through a pretty hefty security system, too.
Celestial: No one accused Thralls of being smart--were zey okay?
Vita: Fine, and safe with the others now. Virtue's getting them to the train station, so it's just you two left.
Morte: And we've gotta go now. Where's Peridot?
Fern: Missing.
Vita: What.
Citrine: She's been missing for hours now and none of us can find her. She won't answer her phone, either.
Fern: Two bets on why. *scoff* And me without my sword...
Morte: Okay, so we're assuming the Thrall has Peridot. Where would they go?
Vita: The ritual site is in Wineburg. I'd bet you anything they've got a teleport anchor set somewhere in town.
Fern: Great! You can track that, right?
Vita: With some effort, yeah. But we can't risk it now.
Fern: Um, hello? If we don't stop this the whole world falls into shadow!
Celestial: No. A ritual like this needs more than one sacrifice. Peri won't be enough alone and they can't kill her. *swallow* ...I hope.
Vita: So we have some time. Okay--Celestial, grab your stuff. We'll get you to the station and Fern and Virtue can get you to the Realmgate while we double back for Peridot.
Fern: No, Morte can join Virtue--I'm not leaving without my daughter!
Morte: You didn't finish your training! You're not prepared to take this on, Fern!
Fern: Excuse me?!
Morte: No, you'll do Peri more harm than good staying. Keep those kids safe.
Celestial: I'm not leaving without Peri, either! I swore I'd never abandon her and--
*phone buzzes*
Celestial: What now....Dad?
Frosted, via message: the girl's at the old mine outside of town. Move now and you can save her.
Celestial: The mine...
Celestial, via message: Why are you telling me this?
Frosted, via message: Survive this and I'll tell you.
[Contact: Dad has disconnected]
Celestial: ...I've got to do this.
*adults arguing loudly*
Celestial: *deep breath* If you do not burn out, carry it.
Celestial: Peri! Peridot, call out!
Celestial: ...dammit, they must have moved her already. But why did she come here...
Celestial: Unless...did Lady Lucera call to her? But why only to Peridot? No...no, that doesn't make sense...
Celestial: Something else must have lured her here...but what? Dammit. Did I just fall for the oldest trick in the book?
Celestial: I just fell for the oldest trick in the bo--
Celestial: Obscuro you--where is she?! Where's Peri!?
Celestial: --ack--
Celestial: *pained screaming*
Celestial: --ook! OOF!
Obscuro-Parsley: Foolish child!
Celestial: WHERE IS SHE?!
Obscuro: You'll see your precious girl soon enough! Now stop struggling--
Obscuro: You only make this harder than it must be!
Celestial: Fudge off! Like I'd ever listen to you again!!
Celestial: I'll be dead before I ever listen to you again!
Obscuro: That can be arranged!
Obscuro: All I've need of is your blood! Whether it flows or not is meaningless!
Celestial: Ack--
Obscuro: Oh, enough of this--
Celestial: *pained screaming*
Obscuro: Be silent! SLEEP!
Obscuro: *heavy breathing* ...you are a fool, boy. This body will never be yours again. Cease, and allow it to be.
Obscuro: Now. Where is that anchor stone...
Peridot; Oh, Watcher, please--CELESTIAL CRYSTAL WAKE UP RIGHT NOW!!
Basil: Heed our call, and grant us your power on this night of magic and malice. Free us from our chains and--
Frosted: *snort* Good riddance. Now where's the other one...
Obscuro: The only one who shall meet their end here is you, child of my maker. Now--where were we....
Celestial: So that's what he did...
That night, Wineburg.
Peridot: CEL! CELESTIAL! Oh, Watcher--what did you do to him?!
Frosted: You said you wouldn't hurt him.
Obscuro: I said I would bring him alive. It is hardly my fault he refused to stop fighting.
Peridot: CEL! CEL WAKE UP!
Celestial: *pained moan*
Peridot: CEL! CEL CAN YOU HEAR ME?!
Celestial: ....mmph....where...
Peridot: CEL!
Celestial: ...mmph...Peri--ah! Ow...my face...
Peridot: Oh thank the Watcher--Cel don't move! You're in a portal barrier you'll get shocked!
Celestial: ...why can't I see...
Peridot: Cel--don't worry about that right now we'll figure this out!
-
Frosted: And the other seven?
Basil: Out of reach, unfortunately. Knight saw them to Glimmerbrook.
Obscuro: No matter. All we truly needed was the girl.
Frosted: Why her?
Obscuro: A prophecy from before your time. Her entire family line is blessed. Or cursed, depending on your view. Either way...Basil, do you recall the words I taught you?
Obscuro: Then prepare. We shall begin shortly.
Basil: Yes, master.
Celestial: Where...
Peridot: Wineburg. The old Ritual site. The others aren't here, it's just us and...and the Shade.
Celestial: ...others are safe...Glimmerbrook by now...
Peridot: Thank the Watcher. Hang tight, I'll get us out of this...somehow...
Frosted: ...
Basil: Master, may I ask. What will happen to them when the ritual is complete?
Obscuro: They will die. The power this ritual takes is enough to consume a dozen lives. Crystal will provide most of it, but the boy will have to make up the difference.
Obscuro: Now, the moon rises. No more stalling.
Basil: Of course, Master. *clears throat* Hear us now, Spirits of the Dark and Distant Realms
*gun clicks*
Frosted: Step back.
Basil: What--Peak, are you insane?!
Frosted: I said step back.
Peridot: Mr. Peak?!
Celestial: Dad? Peri what's happening?
Peridot: Your dad pulled a gun on Basil!
Frosted: Back away, Basil. This stops now.
Basil: Are you out of your mind, man?! We've come too far to stop now! Master, tell him!
Obscuro: Oh, don't mind me. This is far too entertaining.
Basil: Master!
Frosted: Last chance, Basil. back up.
Basil: Never!
Frosted: Wrong answer.
*gun fires*
Peridot: *gasp* MR. PEAK WATCH OUT!!
Frosted: What--
Frosted: *pained gasp*
Obscuro: And so the father is as much a fool as the son. A shame...you served me well all these years, Frosted. Too bad you lost your nerve at the end.
Peridot: OBSCURO! YOU WON'T GET AWAY WITH THAT!
Celestial: ...Dad?
*body thuds to the ground*
Celestial: ...Dad, why?
Peridot: It's over, Obscuro! There's no one left to perform your ritual! You're done!
Obscuro: I think not. See? The moon rises...and there is power in this place now.
Peridot: Cel, I'm so sorry...
Celestial: Mm...would have been nice if he grew a conscience months ago, but...he tried, at least.
Peridot: For all the good it did. *sigh* We're...
Celestial: Yeah. That ritual would have killed all of us, but...
Peridot: At least it was just us two this time. The others can finish the job now.
Celestial: If they stand a chance...he won't be at full power but...Watcher, Peri. I'm sorry. This is my fault.
Peridot: No it's not. I was stupid, I went to the cave. You only went after me. *scoff* Like some damn idiot in a horror movie...this one's on me.
Celestial: ...yeah, okay, that's...that's fair. *sigh* ...should we...go look for your Grams?
Peridot: ...not yet. Let's just...sit for a little. Take a break.
Peridot: After everything that's happened, we kinda need it.
Celestial: Tell me about it. Hard to believe it's only been...three days since you remembered.
Celestial: I was terrified for a while, you know? That no one else would ever remember. That I'd have to carry that for the rest of my life alone.
Peridot: ...which is why you thought it was a punishment.
Celestial: Yeah.
Celestial: I messed up so badly, and I didn't even have the luxury of dying.
Peridot: Hey, there's no luxury in the way we went out. Fighting hard is not pleasant.
Celestial: No, but...at least it would have been over. I'd have earned it. Instead...*snort* instead, I've lived with my mistake. The worst kind of punishment and I...
Celestial: ...I would do it again. If it gave us another chance, I would do it all over again!
Peridot: Not alone this time. If...if there's another chance, we're doing it together. You hear me?
Celestial: Yeah. Not that it matters.
Celestial: We're not going to get another chance. We were lucky to get the one we did, but this time...there was so much we had left to do...
Peridot: ...I'm sorry. If I could take it back I would.
Celestial: I know. Believe me, I know. But...*teary sigh* But we can't undo it. We can't take it back. I'd say we have to live with it but.
Peridot: ...we don't even have that.
Celestial: *wet sniff* ...not this time. Per, I--
Peridot: Come here. Watcher, Cel...
Celestial: I'm sorry...we had our whole lives ahead of us and now we're dead and I can't--!!
Lucera: Come now, my Guardians. You are hardly dead yet.
Peridot/Celestial: *gasp* Lady Lucera!
Peridot: My lady, how--
Lucera: Come now, both of you! There is no need to bow. Please--I am the one who should bow to you.
Peridot: But...we failed. Again.
Lucera: Nonsense! You have not failed yet.
Celestial: but--the ritual. It was underway! Obscuro was casting the spell!
Lucera: Yes, but without the power granted to him by nine Guardian souls, it will take time for him to unleash his full power. He is not yet free.
Celestial: Meaning the others may get there in time to stop him...oh, thank the Watcher.
Lucera: No. The others will not arrive in time.
Peridot: but you just said--
Lucera: The time it will take for him to free himself is not enough time for your fellows to return, nor for Mother's Hunters to find him and end him. It falls to you, as it always had.
Peridot: But...how? We died, my lady. How can we end it if we're dead?
Lucera: The shard of power my Mother gave me. It will be enough to return you whence you came. Once.
Celestial: A second chance.
Lucera; Or third, in your case. ...oh, my dear Celestial. I am sorry this has been such a burden on your shoulders. I never meant it to be.
Celestial: Take into yourself that which you can take, for there is no one else to take it .
Lucera: ....just so.
Peridot: How is this going to work? We don't have magic, or weapons, this time around.
Celestial: ...or the bodily training to use them.
Peridot: Muscle memory? It's the best chance we have.
Lucera: It will do. I can pull some of your powers, and your blades, from that other life. It will not last for long, however, so you must be swift!
Lucera: This will be the only chance I can grant you. If you fail, if Obscuro does not fall here, then there is no more I can do. Do you understand?
Peridot/Celestial: We do.
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