flight ♔ pride can stand a thousand trials

[dragonsclaw]

I'm Kissing You - Des'ree

WHO || Failboat [closed]
WHAT || The Knights return in the wake of the Keijen Blade concert, much worse for the wear
WHERE ||On a plane
WHEN || Directly after the concert
HOW || Actionspam or prose

The mood is darker than it's ever been as the Knights' plane takes off from the blackening skies above Los Angeles, which continue to spread out after them.  They expected a trap, they expected the worst, but what actually happened dwarfed even those dire expectations.

Painful revelations about their teammates themselves, followed by the separation of Vi from the team, and then being forced to watch Blade enact a dark ritual in the concert-hall-turned-dark-temple that culminated in the sacrifice of hundreds, including the deaths of those who had been on the mission back-up team were only the beginning.  Realizing at the last moment that Crombe still had no understanding of what Blade was truly doing, the team made a last minute bid to change his mind and get him to stop the ritual, but it was far too late, and as things escalated quickly, the Nightmare God Malaak'a was freed from his prison, the seal broken with the final step - Nadia's death.  The god himself appeared before them, and Blade stood triumphantly behind him - only to use the dagger soaked in Nadia's blood to plunge into his father, and usurp his power for his own, ascending to some sort of deity-like powers himself.  

This scene lies further and further behind them now, the images forever etched in their minds, and the silent forms of two of their teammates - one mysteriously incapacitated, the other dead, act as haunting reminders on their journey back towards the castle of what has befallen and what may be to come.

Comments

[bigbad]

[He doesn't look angry. He doesn't look hurt either, not exactly. Just.... very, very tired. And old. He doesn't know how old he is exactly, but he knows it could be centuries. He certainly feels like it right now.]

I know. Was this everything? Or is there even more?

[How many of their friends are not what they seem?]

[littledhampir]

[She holds his gaze for a long moment as silence hangs between them, ever aware of the fact that this flight was anything but safe.]

You know I can't answer that right now.

[bigbad]

[Which is, in a lot of ways, its own answer. He just jerks his head in a nod and reaches over to squeeze her shoulder.]

I'm sorry, love. That was....

[He trails off. There aren't really words for how bad that was. But they were both there. They know.]

[littledhampir]

[If she said yes, she'll likely get her mind scanned. No, and Elena and Des would believe they had nothing. There was no answer she could give in this situation that would be good for her right now.

Her gaze tracks the path his hand makes, the tension in her shoulders that had been her constant companion, no doubt noticable at the gesture of comfort.]

Which part? [Sounding tired. It was all bad, from the moment Des opened his mouth to the moment they boarded this plane to come home; A place that had stopped feeling like that since she'd learned how tainted it had become.]

I'm sorry about Nadia. I know you... [Cared didn't seem like a big enough word.]

[bigbad]

Yeah. [His voice is rough, and he ducks his head. He's not crying (will 19), but he sort of wants to. later. When he has time to process.] I should've stayed with her.

[littledhampir]

[Logic doesn't have much place in emotions, but she knows that later maybe, it come provide some comfort.]

And then you'd probably be dead too... and Dumage would still be with Keijen.

[Welp. There was wisdom check but she failed. Here's hoping the name thing isn't an issue with Malaaka JR.]

[bigbad]

[Spike did make the wisdom check (23), which is good because he sure doesn't want to talk about his feelings more. Not when he can just sulk and be moody forever.]

Should we be saying his name?

[littledhampir]

[Confusion twists her features for a moment, only this time she does make a decent enough Wis Check to catch on, at least if the fuck under her breath is anything to go by.]

Probably not. [And then... with a poor Will Save.] I hope Wynn roasted you alive.

[What?! If he can suddenly spy on their conversation?! She's going to make it worth it.]

Here's hoping our anti-scryware works on him too. [Yes. She means Dean.]

[bigbad]

Yeah, that's something else I got questions on. [He glances away casually.] Something you can talk about, or another thing to add to our long "later" list?

[littledhampir]

[Her lips press into a grim line, a noticeable increase of tension in her shoulders as her mind skips along the many forms those questions could take.]

Later. [Shaking her head.] I don't even want those two knowing what I had for breakfast.

[bigbad]

Right. [He lapses into silence, then reaches out to give her shoulder another squeeze before standing up again.] Best we just save the talks for later, then.

[There's not much he can say that doesn't risk giving away too much. So he'd better just not try.]

[littledhampir]

[Her hand comes up to rest on top of Spike's, her expression an odd mix of sorry and sorrow.]

We will have them, though. I promise.

[bigbad]

I believe you.

[There just never really seems to be time. He certainly believes she means to have the conversations, at least.]

Chin up, love. We'll get through this.