"Boo hoo, pretty boy, welcome to the story of my fucking life." Alice rolled her eyes at Yuri.
"To put it bluntly, Majesty, we've all said "fuck the Goddess" in some way or form. Personally, I was given a task that went against her and don't remember much else after that." Alice grunted as she adjusted both Silque and Ashe on her shoulders.
"Some of us here, however, were part of Champions of The Arena and I guess we're... not really looked up to, more like..." She grumbled before blowing hair out of her face when she couldn't find the word she was looking for.
"We've seen some shit, been through some shit, and now we're here basically." She concluded.
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JEFFREY KOVAL
Jeff’s eyes wandered around the medieval city. His mouth agape somewhat at the scenery surrounding him.
“I’m uh... I’m actually not sure why they went out of their way to rescue me, I mean, all I wanted was to see some kids live.”
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"Well, unless it was because the thought of my dashing good looks being lost to history was too great to lose..." Rei by this time had already started smoking a cigarette. He'd at least removed his hat and sunglasses-there were ladies present, you know.
He took a drag on it, letting everything fill in his senses in his moment of silence. Some of these people he recognized, some he didn't...and a few felt like they were puzzle pieces in his memory he just couldn't place. "It's like the little lady says," he said finally, nodding to Alice. We're all prominent enemies of that Goddess in some way or another. Though if there are Chosen among us, well...maybe a few of us were just lucky."
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Henry Hart
" I honestly don't know what I did. All I have ever done is be a hero and fight in an arena for a mad man. I guess it was the fact of the other here though." Beau was still unconscious, so she couldn't answer. However, Jester had a few ideas.
"Some among us were chosen by the Goddess before we betrayed her when she become mad with power. Now we're just fighting each day."
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"Look at us, a pair of unfortunate souls..." Yuri sarcastically chirped at Alice.
"Am I invited to the pity party, or should I just gate-crash?"
Kana hummed and caressed her chin.
"Champions of the Arena... I can't say I'm familiar with such and event..."
"It's like Henry said. A bunch of us were trapped on a murder island and told to kill each other. The whole thing got recorded. Streamed across the Multiverse." Wally interjected.
"It's not something we'd like to relive any time soon..."
"Of course... It's a fate I wouldn't wish upon anyone. The Goddess has many foes..." Kana replied.
"But that begs the question... what were you doing in the Sleeping-Death?"
"How did you--"
"I have the blood of an Ancient Dragon flowing through my veins, Yuri. Something things don't need to be said. Rather, they can be sensed. Your little Prison Break sent rippled across the Planes. I felt them. I fear I was not the only one to do so--"
"Can we just... roll back, for a second?" Wally raised his hands in surrender.
"Sleeping-Death? What's a--?"
"Simply put, it's a prison," Ferdinand answered.
"The worst kind of prison. It's reserved for those the Goddess loathes the most. It's a realm that sits between life and death. The void crushes all thought and feeling. You can hardly call someone in the S-D alive. But their souls are perfectly preserved. Their hearts beat once an hour. So the prisoners aren't dead either. It means they can't pass on to an after life of their choosing. It's an endless void. No peace. No paradise..."
"At least Hell allowed its residents to think. The S-D is a fate worse than any other I know of, and I know a fair few horrible ones..." Yuri chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. "
It's a prison for souls. That's the short answer. It allows the Goddess to keep track of her greatest foes. Makes sure they can't be rescued... well... not by conventional means...."
"But the Sleeping-Death is usually reserved the Old Gods. Treacherous Demons. Ancient Titans. I've lost good friends in the fight against the Goddess... They've been real thorns in the Goddess' side. But none of them were taken to the S-D. I can understand why she wanted to keep an eye on the Chosen, but the Champions? The others? It does't make any sense..."
"So my question has no answer? Curious.." Kana hummed.
"Still. You're all safe now. That's what matters."
"Right..." Wally mumbled.
"Right..."
When thou horns cry for battle you will find me by thou side!"
"I appreciate your zeal, friend..." Kana smiled
"But we won't be needing any horns. Valla's greatest weapon is its secrecy. Regardless of what Catherine might try to convince you, we cannot afford to fight the Goddess. She would ravage out kingdom. She would destroy the 'insurance' she stole from us years ago."
Seteth remained silent in the corner of the room. He stared down at the Returned with scornful eyes.
"The price is just too high, Valkyrie. I'm sorry."
The Slayer's fingers curled inward to a tight fist. He began to lurch away from the delegation, moving to exit the throne room. As the marine's heavy footsteps echoed throughout the spacious chamber, his left pauldron jostled roughly. A small, thin flake of some material drifted off of Doomguy's suit.
It was a scale. Immaculate and bloody.
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As the scale clattered against the Throne-room's tiles, a strange instinct overcame Catherine. She stopped in the hall's doorway. She slowly turned around.
Part of her wanted to let it slide out of spite. She wanted to let Kana solve her own problems, or, better yet, let Gunter solve them for her. But no. Her instincts got the better of her. Approached the strange object, picked it up, and carefully survey it with thinned, razor-eyes.
She had anticipated the discarded scale to have been a poisoned rag. Perhaps a piece of telling parchment.
Catherine had never anticipated finding something so...
familiar.
She closed her eyes tight and held the scale close to her heart. She whispered a silent prayer. She tucked it away in the collar of her breastplate.
Suddenly, Catherine's demeanor shifted completely. She flashed her teeth. She gripped the hilt of her sword. Thunderstrike Cassandra came rattling forth.
She turned on the spot and withdrew her blade. With a feral cry, she lunged towards the Doom Slayer. She threw the Demon Hunter against on of the Throne Room's pillars, pressing her blade against the armored Ghost's throat.
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"You!" She spat.
"Where did you get this!? Tell me!"
"Catherine!" Gunter picked up his axe and slowly approached the warring pair.
"Catherine, let him go!"
Catherine blocked him out completely.
"Tell me!"
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