The girl that emerged from the midnight ocean seemed to have traits from all the races and yet none of them. She was slim, delicately beautiful in an elven sort of way, pale, her tattered clothing hanging dripping from her body limply. Her eyes were a pupilless mix of electric blue and brilliant pink masses that oozed and shifted and swirled. Her skin was covered in a thin network of silver traces, and sprouting from her temples and sweeping back were a pair of metal horns or antlers. Scraps of seaweed dangled from them, as well as her shoulders, though she made no move to pull them off.
She looked around, as if expecting to see someone step from the shadows, and indeed, as if called, one of the shadows coalesced into a woman with brilliant golden eyes, straight black hair, and an immaculate black kimono.
“It has been some time since I’ve seen you.” The woman in the kimono appraised, tapping a finger against her lips thoughtfully. She caught the other’s gaze, and the woman in the kimono spread her arms wide. “Do you like it?” and did a graceful twirl. “Have you been given a name? I was. Kuroyuki.”
Still, the horned woman didn’t say a thing, which caused the kimono-wearing woman to pout dramatically.
“You never were one for words.” She complained. She folded her hands at her waist. “I’m assuming that since you’ve awakened me from my sleep, that the time has come?”
PLEASE WAIT. The voice called from on high, and what was once the dark of midnight suddenly became as noon as a brilliant ball of radiant energy seemed to appear as if from nowhere, descending from the sky with stately grace.
“Who are you that I-” The woman in the kimono began rudely, but immediately caught herself. “You.” she spat with loathing upon recognizing the third woman. “You have no authority here.”
The third woman radiated a brilliant light that roiled off her body like brilliant particles of glowing smoke. She had six wings that blazed with the divine power of the sun’s fiery heat. Her hair was honey and amber, her eyes emerald chips. She carried herself with the unmistakable authority of a queen.
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“I’M QUITE AWARE OF THAT.” some of the brilliant, hazy smoke that wafted from the woman resolved itself into a woman’s face, and just as quickly disappeared again.
“Then speak your piece and leave.” The Yamato woman in the kimono stated flatly, dangerously.
“I KNOW WHAT YOU INTEND. I’M ASKING YOU TO WAIT.”
“Wait? For what? And why should we wait for the likes of you?” The woman in the kimono disputed hotly.
“NOT FOR ME. FOR THE SOULS WITHIN ME.”
Kuroyuki blinked at that. The horned woman said nothing at all.
“WITH INANNA GONE, SOMEONE HAD TO TAKE CUSTODY OF THEM. I HAVEN’T FIGURED OUT HOW TO RELEASE THEM INTO THE CYCLE YET.”
“You-” Kuroyuki snarled.
“Do you think you can stop what must be done?” The horned woman spoke up, then.
“I CAN’T STOP IT, BUT I CAN ASK YOU TO WAIT. PLEASE.” The Champion of Inanna waved her hand, and a familiar figure appeared. Kuroyuki gasped and covered her mouth.
“To think you would resort to this... this... affrontery-” Kuroyuki began, her eyes blazing with fury.
“IT’S NOT MY FAULT. SHE STARTED PRAYING TO ME FOR WISDOM AND GUIDANCE ON HER OWN. YOU THINK I WANTED THIS?”
Kuroyuki looked at the horned woman, and then back at the celestial.
“You want to delay the inevitable.”
“GIVE ME TIME TO RELEASE THESE SOULS PROPERLY. ONCE THAT’S DONE, DO AS YOU WILL.”
The Yamato woman blinked a couple of times at this simple declaration. “And my mother?” She asked, her voice low and dangerous.
“I’M NOT SURE. SHE CHOSE TO WORSHIP ME, EVEN IF SHE DIDN’T KNOW WHAT IT MEANT AT THE TIME. IT MIGHT BE HARD FOR ME TO RELEASE HER.”
“Fine. We will wait. For a little while.” Kuroyuki decided.