(1407) The Duel

[Jonokuchi]

The way of Sword and Shield, a dance of two colossal minds dueling. It was beautiful to behold, even for the physical giant in their midst, he was nothing to the Supernal will they both wielded.

In the end, the challenger had won. The Hierarch had fallen to his Mastery.

Bitterly, Jonokuchi wondered if this would change anything. Only those who had been around longer would know that Truth.

[Aurora]

She watched with fascination as the duel began, and ended.

The politics were not entirely known to her, but it appeared the challenger was the victor.

Her blue eyes lower as Avalon fell, even though it was a consensual duel, seeing another Awakened fall was never easy.

[Jhet]

She watches from a distance. Her face made of steel. She has no basis for respect for either party, challenger or challenged. She speaks her mind, yes, but that does not mean that she does not have respect for those who have mastered their awakened wills. That is respect in inherent form when manifested for all to see.

She knows that one will fall. The sands of time may run and wash away memory, but it is written that one will fall and one will emerge the victor. Both will be exhausted. One will wear the crown of another false throne, and one will pick up the pieces of their dignity and begin to move forward again.

Aquinas is victorious. She pays him no ill respect, and he will have much to prove in the days to come. He too an outsider proving that the way of the awakened is the way to organize a city. She herself believed in such a structure, if only to maintain order until the day it no longer matters. Her attention is not on him. Her attention is on Avalon ni Dál Riata ( Casitive ). It is in defeat that much is learnt.

She strides forward the duel finished, her visage of not of death, but of inevitability--of fate. They all will die eventually, but it is what must come between now and then that is important. She reaches down and offers the defeated a hand. Not a hand of pity. Not a hand of sorrow or happiness, even from a vocal detractor of her time as Hierarch.

It is a hand of grace. A hand up to start the next chapter of her life.

[Star]

He'd wondered who it would be. Mostly, wondered if it would be Principal Ari. But everyone was just watching, like they were waiting for the clouds to part and sunbeams to shine down and tell them what was right and wrong. Or what had just happened. Or what it all meant, and what happened now.

That. That is the question.

Would there be some big rush to pile Everything Bad on the former Hierarch? Like everyone does when someone gets fired and then gets their stuff together? Or not. And things would stay the same and the seriously jacked up picture the rumor mill painted be the reality? Then the illusion that all the stuff that was Not Going On would be shattered because it was Totally Going On.

Not the good kind of Blurred Lines, yo.

Hopefully Avalon could walk. Having to help carry her like a sack of potatoes was just going to be silly. Honestly? He was totally curious if she would stay or go. He moved forward to help, walking carefully so his loafers didn't scratch or squeak on the floor.

Because Guardian.

[Leo Lockheart]

Leo watched the duel as it unfolded out of the corner of his eyes. He remained focused on the crowd for most of the duel, only looking away to see which arcana the Heirarchs used in the duel, because there was a plan B if Avalon took shit south.

When people begn to emerge from the crowd and moving towards the Heirarch Leo watched very closely. Finally he followed behind Star and moved to Avalon's side. The spell for the duel was dismissed and he looked to Aquinas. "What do you want to do with a possible traitor?"

It was the question on a lot of people's minds no doubt, but Leo in particular was watching very intently for the new Heirarch's command.

[Miach]

From his place near the entrance, Miach had been able to watch the full Duel from safely afar. It had been mesmerizing, and humbling. They were so far...

As it ended with a falling Avalon, his first reflex was to step forward and see to her health. His second reflex though was to stop. There were many people around her who could probably see to her health nearly as well as he. And there were many people around her. Better not step in a crowd full of unknowns...

Since the Enchanter didn't take in the action, he realized what had just happened. They had a new Hierarch. His third, in nearly as many years in Sacramento. And one wondered why the Consilium was in pieces...

[Zodiac]

So, it was the end of one era and the beginning of a new one. Whether it would be better or worse she still had yet to say or see, but as far as she was concerned the group of people she needed to pay the most attention to was a small one. A small one to keep safe. A small one to keep an eye out for. She watched after Star for a moment, then inclined her head to Asp politely, if a little absently.

She had been here to be witness to this Duel, now she was here for a different reason. To keep the peace. There were enough Arrow in the area that she shouldn't have to be so on guard, but given what she'd heard already about certain individuals dropping vulgar magic publicly, she wasn't about to rely on this concilium to be sensible enough to sort things out.

"... and so the Voice takes the reigns," she stated softly, though it sounded almost more like she was reciting a quote, "to lead the Awakened of Sacramento into a new age, for better or for worse, and to lead the Blind into the light of a better tomorrow... and so it goes, and so it goes, yet how it ends nobody knows."

[Ixidor]

So that's it, then.

Ixidor sighs, just slightly. Only now aware that he'd been holding his breath.

Truthfully, he'd been thinking of how he could use either outcome to the Concilium's advantage for some time now. Even if Avalon had defeated Aquinas? Her deception had been called. She could be made accountable, and he seriously doubts that a man who'd placed so much on the line to come here and challenge her would simply slink away without another word, tail firmly tucked.

No, this eventuality was probably inevitable by now. But thankfully, it has been expedited to a degree of relative efficiency. Or at least, the best they could hope for.

It had been difficult to split his attention. Sometimes, for the rocker, it is. He gets caught up in the glimpses of the Supernal they are allowed, as Awakened. And frankly, he is alternately baffled and disappointed-bordering-on-disgusted that some of the others are able to treat these things like a mere... light show.

Or a concert.

The thought brings a dour, humorless smile to his lips as he steps within the proximity of Leo and Aquinas. "That will depend on whether or not she's really guilty of treason," he spares a look to the loudmouth who had been openly berating the Concilium at large, earlier, now offering Avalon a hand. "Or if she's only guilty of the same apathy that's plagued Sacramento for the last several years.

"And yes, some of us are fully capable of and willing to point the blame to ourselves. I've stood in front of the whole congregation and done so, myself." The Deacon certainly isn't just speaking to the two men, now. Still aiming aiming his look at the women. "But if you'd been here long enough to get your facts straight, and make sure you actually know what the fuck you're talking about before running your mouth, maybe you'd have something useful to offer the other new faces you meet beyond political speculation."

Things like, a history of Order heads disappearing and showing up on doorsteps with their bits cut off. Poisoned Ley Lines, and cryptids crawling out of the goddamned river. Fun stuff!

[Avis]

And so it was. Aquinas had proven the might of his determination, and Del Taco had folded like an undercooked tortilla in the face of his challenge. Or that was how Avis was going to look at it. At the start of the duel, the ferocity of Del Taco's attack, the magnitude of her blow upon Aquinas had caused fear to roar up Avis' throat like a tide of bile in the wake of eating toxic food, but in the end Aquinas had prevailed. That was what mattered. Let the disgraced spy be forgotten, or remembered for her duplicity. Avis didn't care. Parasites like Del Taco didn't deserve her notice.

Avis looked away from the fallen woman and the victor, and those crowding around them, and caught Asp's eye seeking her out. Had the other Talon noticed something? Or had Zoey? Maybe they just wanted to talk. Check in now that the Consilium had been changed.

Avis made her way through the crowd, taking care not to brush against anyone, and came up next to her cabalmates. "Uh. Hey. Everything ok?" she asked, twitching her toothpick to the other side of her mouth.