The Beginning of the Sparks

[Cards of Fate]

“Israfil?” Vincent murmured to himself confused as he watched his best friend walk away. It suddenly dawned on him that he was soaked in sweat, causing his olive skin to glisten in the faint light of the cavern. That had been one of the first fights in a long time to push him to the limit. He stretched the arm that had previously been clutched by the Seraphim’s glimmer and frowned ‘that was really close. He could have snapped my arm like a fucking twig.’ He glanced around and found his robe strewn on the floor across the arena. “Did I…push him too far?” Vincent mused as he strode silently across the arena.

Snatching the robe off the ground he shrugged it back on, leaving it open to reveal the marking of his Arcana on his chest. The Hierophant, the Hierarchy’s head scholar, yet Vincent didn’t really feel like a scholar anymore. Sure, he was smart. But he wasn’t a scholar in an academic sense. He would study, but he would also explore. He would take notes and start fights, he would read maps and then chart unexplored territory. He frowned, too much to think of all at once. He needed a bath.

…

The soothing waters of the natural hot springs located just one floor below the arena did little to calm the scholar’s troubled mind. What or who was ‘Israfil’ and how did that relate to Ioder. He almost seemed like a different person at that point, and it was scaring Vincent. He sighed and sank into the burning hot water until his nose was barely above the steaming surface. He closed his eyes and simply let the small gurgling sound of water pouring out the gaping maws of ornate statues fill the air. A bridge had been crossed today, a spark of conflict ignited. He doubted this would be the end of his rivalry with Ioder. The sparks were just beginning.

[Ioder]

Day turned to night and night to day yet Ioder still felt uneasy about the events that had unfolded between he and Vincent. He was torn, torn between his feelings for the Hierarchy and his new friends and the path he once walked long ago. Under the moon he felt the security of those around him and the importance of his role here. But while he spent his days fiddling around with everything he did within the House of Cards and his time in the field he felt a void. It was all consuming; the emptiness he felt was one and the same to that he first felt becoming a Seraphim.

From the moment he opened his eyes to the morning's embrace he felt sluggish. He sat up in bed and stretched his arms and wings out before yawning and leaving his quarters. His white sleep were matched his wings sublimely only to inevitably becomes stained in his daily routine. It was still early in the morning and it wasn't likely that anyone was up already waiting on him in the mess hall.

Ioder sighed as he reached the doors of the kitchen in dread. After yesterday he wasn't sure if anyone would be coming to help him this morning to cook for the troops. After opening the door he was greeted only with silence as expected. He brushed it off and walked over the the stove top and with a match ignited the gas.

"What am I doing here?" He found himself questioning his actions once again. He turned and opened the cabinet just behind his head grabbing a carton of eggs. If nothing else he had become quite a cook since he first came to the House of Cards. With his mind racing all around he neglected to notice that the carton felt light, almost empty. He continued to gather all his ingredients until he had everything in front of him.

Meticulously Ioder put the large skillet perfectly over the faint stove fire and poured in some oil. Then he reached over to the eggs and opened the container. Without looking he felt for an egg only to grab air. He casually looked over to see only two eggs left in the entire carton. A rage started to build within the angel, not directly attributed to the lack of food in the kitchen but this was just the thing to push him over the edge.

"Whats going on here?" he yelled as he slammed his fist on the counter next to the stove. "How have I been reduced to kitchen duty? I an one of the Seraphim, not a pion to be given tasks." his frustration caused him to sweep the hot pan off the light stove top with his arm and send it flying towards the door. He felt the sting of a fresh burn on his arm and quickly retracted his hand.

"You are here because its where your meant to be." he heard a voice from the doorway. The skillet made a ringing noise as the figure stopped it with their foot.

[Star Strike]

Leona stood leaning in the doorway.

"And you're not the only one that feels that way." She tilts her head to the side gesturing to the young star standing behind her. "Stella is going to help you this morning and the two of you are going to have a nice little chat. I'll see you around." She waves her hand and leaves, Stella ducking into the small kitchen before the door closes behind her.

The starling's eyes looked strained but they fake a small smile as they walk over and peer over the counter. Sniffing, Stella sighs, shaking their head in disappointment. "No sugar?"

Ioder raises his eyebrow "Why would scramble eggs... no just never mind you're too young to understand."

"Am not. Stella three hundred and nine on this world."

Stella turns and begins going through the cabinet's in reach. Finding a bag of rice Stella pulls it over to Ioder. "Cook half with eggs on top. Cook rest with sugar and brown spice."

"Ok..." Ioder stood back reluctantly. He would still need more than two eggs but the rice wouldn’t hurt.

“Stella does not know much, only that they want to go home. Is Ioder the same? Leona told me that much.”

“No. I’ve lived in Althanas for a long time.”

“Oh.” the star frowned. “Wings are beautiful. If astreal powers really gone, I wish wings for myself. Anything to see home again. Ioder have you something you wish for?”

Ioder paused, biting his lip. “Not anymore.”

Gazing around the room, Stella’s eyes focused on something resting on the counter, a deck of Tarot cards. Taking the cards, Stella sits on the ground, closes her eyes, and shuffles them. One by one, she flips four cards over, “Ten of Pentacles, The Chariot, Five of Swords reversed, and Four of Swords reversed,” and then removes the one from the bottom. “Death reversed.”

Looking over Ioder frowns, “Stella you shouldn’t play with Leona’s things.”

“It’s ok. Leona helped me make them and introduced us and now we are friends. They listen to me see.” Stella shows off the back of the card to Ioder. The back of the card looks like a portrait of the night sky and while the front looked no different the front of the cards appeared to shift as Ioder transferred his weight.

“Stella…”

“I do not know them as well as Leona but I can do a basic reading see?”

“Stella what…”

“Pentacles means money and ten is a lot so the past has been abundant. Present is the chariot which means victory but five of swords reversed is the opposite. The outcome is about being weighted down by duty. See crown and throne.” Stella gestures at the card that only seemed to be visible to her. “And this is all because of you refuse to chan…”

Ioder brushes the cards with his foot as he reaches over Stella for the steamer, scattering them.

Stella closes her eyes as her face flushes a deep shade of beet. “Ioder should leave the bitter to someone who has lost more.” Stella spat, sticking her tongue out. “I know not of you but I try to be kind and endearing so others ask not me to leave. I try to speak common so you understand. I try not to cry and complain so not to raise worry. Our pasts have been great and but if we do not accept the change then we fail and lose to ourselves.”

Stella stops and begins to pick the cards back up.

“Even if I could go back, I grounded. I am tainted. I am waste and forsaken. But you?” Stella looks up at Ioder, “We friends. All of us. Together the Chariot continues to ride. Alone we fall in battle. Do us all grace and embrace the change inside. Whether good or bad it will hurt less.”

As Stella turns to leave Ioder reaches out and pulls Stella into a tight, comforting hug.

"I'm sorry Stella. Thank you."

The star stands uncomfortably still. "Ok. Please stop touching me."

"Oh. I'm sorry." Ioder frowned.

"Time may pass but pain remains." They smile weakly as they step back. "Just glad skyling is okay."

The door opens once more to Vincent with a basket of eggs. “Hey Ioder sorry I’m late Leona wanted to chat for a bit and…” Vincent sees the cards in Stella’s hand.

“Leona’s actually teaching you. That’s cool!”

[Cards of Fate]

Stella looked up at the scholar with a bittersweet smile on her face. Vincent’s eyes darted from her to his friend with a quizzical glance, shifting uneasily from foot to foot.

“Am I…interrupting something?” Vincent asked running an uneasy hand through his hair. “I can go if you two need some…”

“It’s not like THAT Vinnie!” Ioder growled snapping to his feet.

“We were talking…” Stella chirped looking from angel to scholar. “What Vincent mean Skyling?”

“He meant that if he was interrupting us making breakfast he would get out of our way.” Ioder hissed glaring at Vincent. The scholar simply smirked slightly and nodded. \

“Exactly what he said!” Vincent agreed nodding his head.

“Well now it you two who must talk.” Stella warbled in a singsong voice. “Cards demand it.”

The two friends shot each other an uneasy glare before breaking from their rigid stances and began to silently cook. Vincent set the basket of eggs down and began to systematically crack and beat a large portion of them. Ioder prepped several pots silently, leaving the room filled with an uneasy silence.

“Fuck you.” Vincent snarled, breaking the silence.

“Excuse me?” Ioder growled turning to the scholar. “Fuck me? No fuck you!”

The scholar growled and backed away from the counter exasperated. “No, fuck you! You’re a jackass!”

“I’m the jackass?”

“Yes. You’re the jackass.”
Ioder slammed a fist on the counter and hissed. “Enlighten me, SCHOLAR, how am I the jackass?” Vincent snarled and both of his hands shakily through his hair.

“Because you don’t believe in me.” He muttered letting out a deep sigh. “No-one does. Not you, or Leona, or any of the others. You don’t see me as an equal but a burden.” Ioder paused for a moment and his gaze softened.

“Vince I never meant to…”

“Well you did!” Vincent hissed. “You act like I’m still the same weakling you took to the ruins. News flash Ioder, I’m not that weak anymore, and it fucking stings when you ignore my progress.” Ioder paused in his place as he stared at his exasperated comrade. “Especially when I’ve come as far as I have…”

[Ioder]

One, two, three strides was all it took before Ioder slapped the fuck out of Vincent. An astonished look plastered on both of their faces. "Calm down Vincent!" Ioder said shaking him back from his exastribated state. "Do you think I would do anything like this if it wasn't for a reason!" Tears started to flood the Seraphim's face, as if this was pulling at some heartstring long since repressed.

Vincent pulled away and held his tongue for a moment and went back to beating the eggs. Ioder likewise took a second to breath before they said anything unwarranted. Foot steps could be heard echoing in the halls outside the kitchen. The two resident chefs knew the sound all to well and it triggered them into a cooking frenzy.

Ioder swallowing his pride and emotions picked up the iron skillet next to his friend. They didn't say a word, rather the two communicated with small angst filled grunts. Vincent poured a portion liquid eggs into Ioder's skillet which he quickly made solid. It was a rough, silent hour in the kitchen but like always the two pumped out the food like champions. Even little Stella stayed around to help clean up afterwards.

As Ioder placed the very last of the dishes in their respected home he turned to see the two finishing up. With his friend hands deep in the sink Ioder slowly crept up on the distracted Vincent. Stella caught him creeping but didn't make a sound either out of hope or worry. Then like the older brother he tried to be he reached under his arms placing him into a friendly hold.

"Get the Fuck off of me!" The scholar cried as he tried to fidget his way out of Ioder's grasp.

"Not until you let me speak, no one here has any lack of faith in you. We, Leona and I, know what you can do and what you will become. She said that you are meant for greatness, and that Im to be your tool to achieve this." Ioder said wile loosening his grip and transitioning this awkward moment into a caring one. He held his friend tight to his chest. "No matter what you choose or do, she bestowed to me the future, your future as well as mine. As it stands I have been bound to you. My Emp..." he stopped mid word an let go.

"And what does any of that mean?!?" Vincent said turning and throwing a jab at the angle. "You have been doing what?!?" Punching again and again.

Ioder caught his first jab with his wrist, and the second with his off hand. But Vincent had indeed gotten fast as his third found its way to his jaw once more. He winced in pain from his friends strong strike.

"I deserved that." The angle said nursing his face. "But what was said is the truth. Ever since I met you, I have found familiarity in you and your soul. It reminds me of my home, my family, Estelle."

"Another one of your sob stories Ioder?" Vinnie said returning to little work that remained.

"Maybe it is, or maybe its something bigger than both of us. Whether you want to believe it or not, I know in my very core that you are her successor. And like I was to her, I am bound to you, compelled to see you to greatness." Ioder looked over to Stella whom had been watching the two and smiled to her.

[Philomel]

Name of Judgement: The Beginning of the Sparks
Judgement Type: No Judgement
Participants: Ioder, Cards of Fate and Starstrike

Rewards:

Ioder receives:
720 EXP
77 GP

Cards of Fate receives:
660 EXP
66 GP

Starstrike receives:
165 EXP
22 GP

[Lye]

EXP & GP Added