Ceph H. Larkkstarr is the greatest magician ever!
Well, not really. But she tries.
That's the nice thing about humanity, you know?
They pick themselves up and return to the hunt!
This isn't a hunt. Not quite.
You don't hunt down beings like these.
You bargain. You play their game.
Ceph H. Larkkstarr is great at dealing with the supernatural- it helps to be able to see right through them.
...it's not exactly helpful when what you see is- well. Precisely what's real.
They'd quite prefer that this ever twisting landscape, piercing against their eardrums without any sound at all, was just an illusion. A great one! The kind used to make people think they're somewhere impossible.
But this is somewhere impossible.
There's thrumming beneath her feet, yet she's standing on nothing. If she focuses too much, she might sink into it. If she doesn't, she might start floating.
But Ceph's the greatest magician (in training) - and her best friend is in a lot of trouble.
There's a hint of guilt in her. A lot of it.
Regrets are heavy things.
Corus always said they carried horrible weight, even if they looked like skinny little flies.
It's guilt that clings to her- what if she'd done a little better with the counter-spell? What if she did a little more?
But the show's not over yet.
You can't let the audience know something bad is happening- you want to keep them calm.
The show's not over yet- and the stage is no place for nerves!
( Corus has always hated feedback loops. Fear into guilt into anxiety into fear. Building, building- something that won't stop. )
( But that's what friends are for, right? )
( Ceph's always known that Corus isn't a happy person. )
( That they couldn't see the good in themselves. )
( But they were kind, always. Or at least they tried. )
( Self-destructive tendencies carefully managed- if only for the sake of everybody else. )
( They'd always been afraid of being a burden. )
( Messy, they would tell her. Don't bother with me. )
( But she did anyway. )
( But she will anyway. )
It's the flick of the wand, a swish of the cape. Sparkles fill the air as Ceph snaps her fingers.
( Mage of mind, mage of stars. )
-I could do about anything,
Once upon a time, Corus Corvid failed to save someone.
It tore them apart, as all their failures did.
Ceph's always been a very lucky person.
Hopes and dreams- that's all she's ever needed!
The world around her is a mess- warping, layers upon layers, nails against chalkboard in horrible textures.
"Even if I can't help them, I'll find someone who can!" They declare, and it is bright- burning- hope like every star in the sky.
Just hopes and dreams. That's all you need, sometimes.
Corus Corvid loves the world, and Ceph H. Larkkstarr loves it too.
( You're a part of my world, even if you're not a part of my universe.)
A swirling portal of stars and hope warps to life beneath Signal's feet- and sends him down, down, down.
