Solstice War - Gathering

[willysilver]

The Solstice was upon them. When the sun went down the magic began to swell, the veil between this world and the Other Side thin as vapor. Mortals could sense it, even, though they may not have a name for it. They gathered together, not realizing the animal instinct of safety in numbers.

But all around the city, from the dark parts, fae began to come together as well. Unseelie filled the city- boggarts and Red Caps and things unseen for many a year with bright eyes and sharp teeth. But they were tricksy, dangerous and malicious but no worse than they ever were. The real threat, the ever present danger this year, were the Milesian that crawled out of the sewers and tube tunnels to prowl they city. They were hunting tonight. They had eyes black and soulless, eyes too wide for their white, gaunt faces. Larger than their eyes were their mouth. The smile of needle fangs glinted in the street lights. Long arms ending with spidery, spindly fingers reached and clawed at passers by from the shadows.

There was a war in the city tonight and the nature of the foe, the Milesian, meant no bound mortal needed to be near any battle. Death would come to one or the other if a killing blow came down.

But there was hope. Seelie fae prowled the city as well, fighting for Light and Air. Even the Queen had seen fit to step through with her sword and shield. Such was the threat to the Fae way of life that the Milesian presented.

The longest day of the year dawned but the sunlight did nothing to frighten off the dark forces. The longest day of the year simply meant the things that went bump in the night were attacking in the light.




(Tag in, tag around! Open all week so check back. Have fun with your adventures. If you don't want any Milesian, there are plenty of Unseelie, too. Day or night, whichever works for you.)

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[vampireevolved]

It had been over seventy years since Godric had fought at Eric's side, but there was too much to be done, spread over too much of the city for them not to split up. Hearing a scream, Godric rushed around the corner and saw a human standing frozen, still screaming and pointing across the roundabout where someone fought off a handful of dark, twisted opponents.

The man was so busy screaming, he was unaware of the creature coming up behind him, jaw full of too many teeth opening wide. Before it could attack, Godric closed the distance between them, and ripped the creature's head off. Catching the human's gaze, he spoke softly, first getting him to stop screaming, then wiping the memory of what he'd seen. And finally, Godric commanded him to find shelter off the streets until it was safe.

Godric would've liked to see the man to safety, but Milesians were coming, drawn by the sound of prey or by their fallen brother. It was going to come to a fight, and there wasn't much night left before the dawn.



(Be the someone fighting Milesians, or come up in time to see Godric glamour the poor human, or whatever else works for you.)

[whispersoflove]

It did not take Anael long, after leaving Prometheus, to find another gaggle of the creatures to dispatch. So there was someone fighting the creatures on the other side of the roundabout, but neither the terrified human nor the vampire could actually see him. Anael was still cloaked, hidden to the eyes of most, although he'd currently vanished his wings. He was fighting three of the beasts at once, at close quarters; keeping them out would have been a liability.

As it was, by the time he was done, he'd had to bring them out once more, and one of them sported a nasty-looking bite mark, while any tear in his clothes showed that there was no wound blemishing his skin. Wings had always been an angel's weakness, and it was no less true for archangels, even when they weren't bound to their physical form.

When all the abominations were down, Anael spread his wing to look at the wound, and winced at the pain of it. Pain; it was such a rare sensation. Then he looked on the other side of the roundabout and spotted Godric. He shed his wings, although that came with more pain, and grew visible again, heading over to the vampire.

"Thank you," he told him, greeted him, "for saving that man."

[vampireevolved]

"They should not have to suffer because the Fair Folk, or any supernatural races, can't keep war in their own territory." Innocent bystanders to a war between creatures they never knew were real, and have no way of fighting.

"I will do what I can, while I can. To keep humans safe, and my own kind from losing control." The instinct to fight was there, along with the memories of so many wars Godric had joined, fights he'd followed. "It's going to be a long night, on the shortest night of the year."

[whispersoflove]

"At least I've been told the beasts would retire when day came," Anael stated. He of course did not mean the vampires, but the Fae atrocities.

His unhealed wing hurt, even retracted as it was.

[vampireevolved]

And the vampires along with them, hopefully giving the other fae a chance to gather their wounded while the sun was up.

"But now, there are more coming. Would you fight with me?"

[whispersoflove]

Anael nodded. "You will not always be able to see me," he warned the vampire. "Men don't need to see my wings on top of everything else." Not that he was going to use them as much as he had been, given the state of them, but it was a fair warning.

[vampireevolved]

"And those we fight do not need to see the attack that is coming either." For vampires, that usually meant moving faster than their opponents – or prey, Godric couldn't forget – could see. Tactical advantages weren't to be ignored. He wondered though if it was sight alone, or if it would be as though the angel weren't there at all other than the result of his attacks. Would Godric be able to feel, hear, and smell Anael?

"I'm sure we will find a way to make it work, and leave the bodies of these monsters in our wake."

[whispersoflove]

"Let's get to it," Anael agreed. He could feel their taint on the edge of his senses. "There are more this way," he added, stepping in the right direction. He was very much an angel on a mission, and would not let himself be distracted.

In fact, he seemed unlike the warm angel Godric had met before as they went through the creatures. Anael no longer used his Grace to end them, not with Godric near. His Grace might have lost some of its usual shine, but he would not risk harming the vampire. So he did it all the old-fashioned way -through sheer violence - all the time praying angrily at God. Was this what You wanted? This is the violent work I would no longer do for You. But here Your soldier is back. And, more quietly, more desperately, Will You take me back now?

[vampireevolved]

Godric did not crave violence and battle as he had for so many centuries, but he would defend the people of this city. Especially after what he'd been told of these Milesians. He fought as the death incarnate he had once been, tearing through the creatures, ripping hearts from chests and heads from shoulders and moving on to the next in a blur of violence and destruction.

When there were no more enemies here to fight, he stilled, black blood dripping from his hands and splattered from head to toe, and turned to find Anael. He felt clearer than he had in awhile, but disgusted too, by what he'd done and how easily he'd slipped back into that mindless violence.

[whispersoflove]

Anael was no less bloodied, and now both of his wings smarted. He took the ache inside of himself as he disappeared them, then dropped his cloaking as he looked over to Godric. "We've done well," he said, because he needed to believe that.

[vampireevolved]

"We fought well," Godric agreed, coming to stand by Anael, look him in the eyes. Something about the angel seemed to need reassurance. Even if it came from a vampire. "We've done good."

[whispersoflove]

Anael rubbed the back of his hand over his forehead, unwillingly smearing the black blood. "How far is sunrise?" He figured that the vampire would know better than him.

[vampireevolved]

Godric paused, considering. Teleporting from Dallas to London had taken some adjustment. "Half an hour. Not much more than that."

[whispersoflove]

"I can finish alone, if you need to get somewhere safe," Anael offered. Everything he said seemed oddly devoid of emotion, entirely unlike his usual self - and the way he had been when Godric had first met him.

[vampireevolved]

"I have time still. It will only take a moment, two perhaps, to get to my progeny's home." Godric could sense the approaching dawn not to be caught out in the sun. Right then, he was more concerned by Anael, who seemed so far from who he'd been when they met.

"I will not ask if you are all right. Is it only these creatures that weighs on you?"

[whispersoflove]

"It is too much to get into while there might still be some of them afoot," Anael replied neutrally. It was the truth, or at least it was his truth. He did not intend to rest until the sun had gone up, and he was certain that the creatures had retreated.

[vampireevolved]

It was not the answer Godric would have preferred, but it wasn't a surprise that whatever bothered an angel so would take explanation, if Anael wanted to share at all.

"Then I will fight them beside you until I have to go." Godric had intended to stay out as long as possible, even before he'd run into Anael. "And hope our paths cross again in the future."

[whispersoflove]

"God willing," Anael replied, although it wasn't his usual sort of prayer. "Let's take to the skies. We will find them more quickly that way." He held his hand out to Godric. "I can cloak you along with myself, if we are touching."

[vampireevolved]

Godric normally relied on his speed and the darkness of night to keep others from seeing him flying. Humans who caught a glimpse rarely saw enough to know what they'd seen. But he took the offered hand in his cool one, a small nod suggesting he was ready when Anael was. There was more to be done before the morning came.