Romani Montclaire - Faux Heavens and the soil (5/31) (CoI)

[19:57] {NARRATION} Two figures stir in the dark, chattering watchmen stationed at the foot of Baleford Bridge, their tentatively lit existences smothered in din, suffocated by the tranquility of the lonely forests. One gestures to the sky - toward the glistening ebbs of firelight that careen toward them -

Baleford Bridge quakes beneath the might of the coming explosion, its very foundations reeling with the strain of the impact. Embers fizz to life within the forestry, an assembly of mounted magi, masqueraded in twilight, galloping forth -

Riders swathed in black, commanding and hurtling arcs of arcana toward the bridge in relentless assault. Some strike upon its lip. Some hurtle spatterings of magic across the centre. Others riders veer north or west, assailing the colossal legs holding it aloft. Watchmen stationed upon the shattered walls of Osrona react with time enough to see Osrona's Magi deployed.

The rebellion beats forth in a frenzy of cloak and smog, the air growing thick with burning material and dust. At the coming enemy forces, the riders dismount, hurtled forth in a flurry of fabric and magic from their saddles.

(Feel free to RP! Matchups coming after roleplays.)
[19:59] The shroud of looming darkness sweeps over the Baleford Bridge. A bridge that Osrona the Shimmering had once defended against the likes of Theria and Illburg. And now time came for the 'new Osrona' to prove their mettle. To see if they could defend against revolutionaries.

Fire casts upon the great long Bridge, and then they come. Dark in robes of black with hoods and masks. Where magic fills the air. Where mana pollutes it.

Who were these masked raiders?

It becomes clear soon. Where the area comes to a rifting stop and time magics take hold from one end to another. Where the light of cosmic star fire falls and the air becomes tense, so very tense with all of the arcane in the sky.

There is no speech, no scream.. no warning.

Only the words.

"Never Surrender."
(Alexander rei Petrakis)

[20:02] The word of what was happening does not come too late. The Baleford bridge sent to quake from explosions. Embers coming to life, riders in black coming to attack it. And it is with the sound of this chaos that the Stellus of the Eastern Celestial Church would arrive.

Not by horseback. He does not know how to handle them. Instead, on foot, the Stellus would run towards the bridge, towards those explosions going off. In the past, uncertainty would have filled a trembling voice, and while his own lack of self value remained.

"This bridge has always been something to stand for the peace between nations. When Theria attacked it, it did not fall. When I wished for it to be manned, I stood on it and battled against bandits."

"If someone thinks that this bridge that represents peace will fall?"

"THEN YOU WILL BE BLANKETED IN THE LIGHT OF THE STARS, RENDERED BLIND UNTIL YOUR DREAMS OF ANARCHY ARE CRUSHED UNDERFOOT."
(Romani cos Montclaire)

[20:03] Yersin sprints with all haste towards the bridge as alarms are raised, moving like a shadow through the night at breakneck speed. The second his form bright into the torchlight surrounding the bridge, he calls out to any guardsmen around. "AT ATTENTION, YOU LOUTS! DON'T BACK DOWN AGAINST ROYALIST SCUM!"

Gritting his teeth, the blood magi's red eyes pierce through the darkness, his vision showing warm bodies moving through the darkness. "Fuckin' bastards didn't do enough leadin' th'city to ruin in the first place, now they have to try and cause more destruction?! KILL THEIR OWN COUNTRY MEN?!"

Grasping the whip on his wait, a crack is lashed out into the night sky. "Stop them here, lads! Keep New Os free! Fer the people! Not fer some EGOTISTICAL MANICAL GOD KING!"

And then the revolutionary rat get one last shout, more for himself than any of those around him as he charges forwards.

"DEATH TO TYRANTS! POWER TO THE PEOPLE!"
(Yersin)

[20:06] In the dead of the night, cloaked in dark robes with a hood pulled snuggly upon their head. Eventually, it wouldn't matter. Their target and the destruction would eventually alert those within the ruined walls to the east. Baleford had their attention, fires and explosions to vulnerable areas of the bridge's structure.

They inhale deeply. Such was no formal war, no battle with thousands of men at one's beckoned call, not, this was an attack.

Smoke filled their lungs, scattered embers fueled them. Arms spread a part as the King of Esshar makes a call. No speech, no negotiation.

Is that Romani? Screaming as he makes his way towards the bridge.

"Never surrender..."

Their grip tightened around their scepter. Starlight cascading from their frame, it's chilling, countering the heat of blows to the bridge.

"Never surrender!"

It began, finally. Loyalty against lost little puppies, spineless individuals. Weak souls.
(Del mer Joyau)
[20:08] {NARRATION} Lloyd vs. Yersin
Sethon vs. Walter
Skylar vs. Tieru
Del vs. Romani
Elijah vs. Willow

Cap 1 Dangerous recommended
[20:14] 'Weak' 'Failure' 'Nothing'.

These were words used to describe the unremarkable man named Romani cos Montclaire. And yet, despite the words that pelted him, the golden glow would come from his fists anyways. The Guardian of that red star would appear over him, the symbol of his Faith. And in his walk, there was no pausing, no fear.

"There is a lot that can be learned from other Faiths. I do not agree with all of it, but I do know this."

"In the sagas of Thorgil, Garljing told the warrior 'Discover a want that you would crush nations for'. I am no fireblooded, but I understand the sentiment."

The golden light would shine down from above, dazzling many of the raiders, striking many down as the golden astral energy would begin to rain down from above.

"DOWN WITH TYRANTS. POWER TO THOSE WHO HAVE NOT HAD IT. JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE IS WEAK, OR SEEN AS A SHEEP, DOES NOT MEANTHEY TOO CAN NOT DREAM."

Anger built up within those knuckles, flying forwards towards any of the blacked cloak invaders he could view.

"WE ARE OSRONA. AND COWARDS WHO ARE AFRAID TO SHOW THEIR FACES ARE NOT WELCOME HERE."
(Romani cos Montclaire)
[20:20] Cloaked or not, all will know the will of this 'rebellion'. The loyalties and will of Nysea, of the Clergy.

Del ran across the bridge, a small grin upon their face. It's there, within their grasp. A change for the better. Talk of democracy, of union. Smoke and ash filled trained lungs, pushed them forward as azure starlight cascades from their very person.

He's within sight, the Faux Stellus- And something new, gold.

"You dare call upon the Stars?"

"To join separate faiths- You have that audacity, Romani?"

A gilded light sprout from behind them, shimmering golden wings that made it very clear who this sharp tongued, cloaked magi was. The mauve hued scepter remained tight in their grasp.

"Cease your yelling, cease your speak entirely. Be a good boy, a good puppet Stellus and do as you're told. The ones with souls are speaking-"

"Those alive are at work."

The True Stellus pushes forward, cosmos propelling them. Starfire gathers in their palm.

"Where were you? Cowards? Hiding within Myllenoris, within tattered walls? You dare call me a coward? To embarrass Celestialism with this hand holding?"

"The Stars are not for the Spirits, for the Dragons."

He's struck.

It began.
(Del mer Joyau)
[20:21] Romani cos Montclaire says, "As the true Stellus of Osrona? I dare indeed. "
[20:26] Torn down.

Rebuilt. Again and again and again. That golden glow grew brighter despite it's dimness. As Del struck, a leg would be quick to catch in their side, smashing into the hip of the faux Stellus. The gold and blue eyes would stare at them as golden power surrounded Romani.

"As the true Stellus, I dare indeed. As a Stellus who not serve those who abandon them. As a Stellus who does not lie, and does not work just to control the minds of others."

The Gilded light sprouted from behind Del, but he was quick to send a punch to their jaw, sending them off course.

"I am no puppet. A sheep, maybe. Something people look down upon? Maybe."

"But I am no puppet. Nor will lies be my master, or arrogance, like you. Where was I? In the cells of Myllenoris, left to rot by all of you. Because you would rather abandon someone then go after them."

"The stars are for people to look to for guidance. They are for truth. But most of all?"

"They are for the people who need them. Like I did."
(Romani cos Montclaire)
[20:33] What is this?

"You killed people."

A fist met their jaw. It was nothing. Their husband packed more of a punch. Thalis packed more of a punch. This? They're knocked back but up they go.

"You shook hands with those who have killed. That Teraphim with the ruby crystals?" He's met with starlight, and so are they. It's ugly, to see him wield such. Seeing a demon or a witch do so was better.

"Kill every last child- He said that! And he fights alongside you? An occultist? You're a moron, if anything. When freed, you stayed. Like a lost little puppy, yeah? That's what you are."

Gilded wings flapped, pushing them off of the ground and hovering.

"The Stars and will of them- The High Angel Maltziel turned us there, and he also bestowed upon the Petrakis line for rule over Esshar."

He's charged at once more.

"Or do you not know yourfaith? To deny the very foundation-" Strike after strike- He's gotten stronger. Hopefully all that time idling was for training. "Is to deny it entirely."

"Pray to the spirits, to Aschea. The Essharn Celestial Church, Celestialism, does not want you."

"He should have killed you instead."
(Del mer Joyau)
[20:39] "Tell me, tell me, tell me..."

Retaliation. The True Stellus whipped around him, ascending upwards before battering him with seething stardust. It's so much more personal now.

"For whom do you fight? Mh?"

"It is nothing but selfish. Selfish, selfish, selfish. You preserved yourself within Myllenoris. You and your useless, spineless wife. She should have died when she ate that bread- Willingly, mind you."

"To prove loyalty to Osrona, to the King."

Fires burn with hatred.

"You are a puppet, plain and simple. You have false rule. You are no Celestialite and not even faithful. Are you even to your wife? All you do..."

Del flew towards him, fire left in their wake, though he's holding his own. This man who wore starlight despite doing all against it.

"Is hide, and whine. You're no Stellus, no man. Receive judgement already."

The hood over their head fell down finally, revealing azure locks pulled back into a braided ponytail, a seething dark blue gaze.

"The Sun and Moon, your eyes. Yet you're so blinded with such celestial bodies in your view."

"Show me where your loyalties lie."
(Del mer Joyau)
[20:43] "I killed people?"

Romani shakes his head as he is beaten back by the astral beam, not quite sending him flying, but Romani skidding all the same. The Stellus would hold their intense glare towards Del.

"You are the one attacking people on a bridge. I do not like what the Teraphim did to our home, that is for certain, but they are also not the ones who abandoned me. They are the ones helping to rebuild Osrona, to make up for the things that they did."

Furious now, anger moving, boiling, but also waning at points. But.. No.

"You are still the ones attacking people on this bridge. For what? A call to never surrender? I am the moron when you put more lives at risk? I thik you are foolish. That is what you are."

"Maltziel taught people to look for the strength to guide us. But he did not tell us to be dumb with the choices that we make. I will not follow people who abandon me, people I can not trust in. Faith is for people to believe in, not to make us zealots."

"But it seems you never learned that lesson."

Del had gained the upper hand, flinging Romani around, whipping him with the blue stardust.

"You call me selfish when you have lied to people. They were not sacrificing others. You call me spineless, yet who is the one hiding their face?"

But then there is a pause. The words said about Ophelia as his eyes narrow.

"But no one, and I mean no one, is allowed to insult Ophelia, to insult the woman I love, and the one choice I did right in this world."

Golden power surrounds him anew, sending Romani skidding forwards, Stellus vs Stellus to light up the sky.

"I WILL RIP YOU RIGHT OUT OF THOSE FAUX HEAVENS YOU SEE AND SEND YOU SPRAWLING BACK UPON THE SOIL."
(Romani cos Montclaire)
[20:44] {Won Dangerous RPB against Del mer Joyau}
[20:44] ** Romani cos Montclaire has inflicted an injury upon Del mer Joyau. ("Temporary Injury", "Temporary Injury", "Temporary", "Duration: Medium (4 days)") **
[20:51] "You want to know for exactly who I fight?"

The righteous anger welled up within the loser of the world. The one who always was abandoned and discarded gritted their teeth in anger as that golden astral glow surrounded him, lunging at Del.

"I FIGHT FOR THE PEOPLE OF OSRONA. THE ONES WHO REFUSE TO LIVE UNDER THE TYRANT THAT IS ALEXANDER. THE ONES WHO REFUSE TO BEND TO YOUR LIES, ARROGNACE, AND MANIPULATION."

His fist slams into the face of Del, but he does not stop there. Battering them, speeding up in the process, teeth gritting.

"I AM NO PUPPET, YOU ARE NO STELLUS. "

"You are a liar, and someone who can not see truth for themselves. My people are loyal to Osrona."

"The real Osrona, the ones blessed by the hands that build it. You call us a puppet, but we have far less strings than you use to control people."

It is sudden. Holy magic, the dimmed light that had been that way since losing to Alya explodes. Against Del's starlight, it ruptures circuits, turning detriment, turning former loss into something that inflates the ire of the TRUE STELLUS.

The circuits that guide those wings are brought to faulter. For the time being, while the overloading dim light remained in them, they would be much harder to control, twitching wrong this way, or that. A reminder to Del to stay grounded.

"This is where my loyalties lie. Not with the people who betray me and insult me."

"BUT WITH THE OSRONA THAT IS BEING REBUILT WITH MY OWN HANDS. SO DOWN WITH YOU AND TYRANTS, DEL, DOWN WITH YOUR LIES. YOU HAVE NO PLACE IN THIS ESSHAR."

The fist would connect once more, sending Del sprawling across the bridge and away.

For that bridge still stood, unmarred.
(Romani cos Montclaire)
[21:00] Shaking bloody hands made him just as guilty. It's like he praised and Aschea there. Oh- But he wasn't... No attempt to escape from his masters were made, were they? When the war concluded, he chose his allegiances.

"You should have died."

The strikes to delicate flesh didn't matter anymore. Golden fires along their skin. They're here now, exchanging close blows- Does he feel the burn of theirs? The might of the Stars at his highest?

"Tyrant...?"
"Arrogant?"
"Manipulation?"

It's at this point do they feel themself halt, for a moment, a singular second. There's a split now, some sort of divide. In the midst of their battle does their free hand come to their lips.

"...AHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

They burst out into a fit of laughter, uncontrolled entirely before he wails upon them. Most taken and consumed by the azure starlight on their frame, lessening the blows to a degree.

"Who have I lied to? Tell me! Who is the tyrant? Who was he aggressive towards? I insult you because it's what you deserve. You were not abandoned but you chose to remain! You can't see your folly then remain blinded!"

Something familiar, maybe. Like from before- The last time at the bridge? From someone who's only a memory now. A blast of golden mana.

Oh how it burned.
Del loved fire.

Those these? Weak. They didn't writhe, no, no, no.

"You cannot keep me down. Stop calling yourself a Stellus when the Celestial Church is NOT for you. The Spirits, Romani. Such a feeble faith is worthy of you-"

Though they're struck and sent flying, a warped grin stuck on their features.

"Your Esshar is an embarrassment. Feel the light of righteousness. I'll return, Romani."

And over the bridge they go, cloaked in smoke and ash.
(Del mer Joyau)