Introductory Rite (OPEN)

[Creda Shields]

The girl was on her knees, hands clasped, head bowed and speaking quietly to herself in her room. She tried to ignore all other distractions, like the boat tossing and turning slightly, or the captain's voice over the intercom. She just continued, lost in her own little world. If one were to try and listen in, all they would hear was a string of Latin phrases, spoken by a tongue that did not hesitate or falter over the long dead language.

"Ten minutes to docking, that's ten minutes to docking, thank you."

Eventually, the word Amen was spoken and Creda Shields finally stood. Breathing softly to herself, she stretched out her arms and legs, reaching for the ceiling, just to get the aches out of her muscles. The journey had not been a pleasant one, although that may have just been Fate, preparing her for tough trials ahead. As if to say that she was on her own for a while, without her guardian's help and sagely advice to guide her. Creda prayed that Fate would be as kind to her as it had been previously.

The black haired girl, tattoos fully on display on her back thanks to her vest top, went up deck.

---

Stepping off onto the pier, her small suitcase of belongings trailing behind her, the ghostly eyed girl surveyed the area at which she stood.

This place... it feels different to what I am normally accustomed to. she thought to herself. Nevertheless, I must soldier on. His advice was to blend in for a few weeks before relaying any information on potential allies and standing around here will accomplish nothing.

Creda began to walk off, her suitcase following her by the handle, as she made her way towards the Solstice Academy, pointedly not talking to anyone just yet.

[Cruor & Oblitum]

Oblitum was currently , very very bored, He'd decided to great the newest arrivals on the dock, only to discover that none of them were any bit interesting whatsoever. The newest group we're almost too guillible for this to even be fun, Not five minutes in and he'd already gained two more marked, for relatively simple wishes, bring back a family memeber here, undo one slaugther spree there, He was content to keep this up, albeit boring right up until he felt something strange.

He hadn't felt this particular feeling in almost a decade, ever since his grandfather had shown him one of the trophy "Pets" He'd kept from the war between heaven and hell long ago.An angel was here, their holiness rolling off them in waves, making him nauseous from a distance even. With only a quick look Oblitum spotted the winged figure walking down the pier, ignoring the human garbage near her with the same Holier then Thou attitude her kind was known for. Droping his conversation mid sentence and walking away Oblitum moved to intercept the angel, a strange conviction driving him to greet her, To let her know her know this was no safe haven from his kind.

It only took a few seconds of his longer strides to catch up with the girl, As he closed his put on his most polished smile and raised his voice slightly, " Excuse me, Miss Angel, I Do hope your not trying to enter the school without having even greeted the Councilor that has come out of his way just to meet all the new students." He then said as he passed by her and turned around blocking her way toward the school, although he stopped at a conversational distance, not so close that it would seem that he was trying to attack her.

[Creda Shields]

Muttering as she stretched her wings out for but just a moment, Creda resealed them within the tattoos on her shoulders as soon as the unfamiliar voice made itself known to her.

Looking up, she saw the white haired thin man approaching her with a smile that seemed somewhat fake.

Guide my words... she thought silently, before she spoke in a strong tone of voice.

"I apologise for not following the correct etiquette." she began. "But I must admit, I do not see the point of such frivolity. Unless Fate decreed that I would have some desire to speak to you, you would not be spoken to."

...however, they must have guided him to speak with me. This may be important later or else it would not have happened.

She stopped walking and regarded the man with a cool stare.

"I'm assuming you are said Councillor? With an ego so vast as to refer to yourself in the third person? Well then, you have my greetings. Now please, stand aside."

She began to walk, trying to get past him, looking as normal as a regular human girl with two wing tattoos on her back could be.

[Cruor & Oblitum]

Oblitum laughed when he heard the aloof tone the girl took with him, his amusement continued when she went on acting like she was someone with the given right to order him around. " So rude, Surely god would have given you some manners before sending you here. No wait your not a real angel are you, just some mutant with more piety then most humans can manage." Oblitum laughed to himself after that finding some great joy in the ludicrousness of a human almost managing to match an angel with their devotion.

Oblitum then started walking next to her rather then impeding her progress, " So Miss Pseudo angel, What is your name, I'm sure i'll end up hearing it later when you get sent to me for having some sort of god complex, But I feel like learning it beforehand would be prudent ." He then continued as he followed her, something that no doubt bothered her, and bothering an angel, even just a fake one is something Oblitum was taking great joy in.

[Creda Shields]

"Manners are normally considered for those you respect. You have done nothing yet to earn such respect from me." Creda retorted, eyes facing forward and trying to ignore the man walking beside her. However, she bristled at his blunt assumption of her abilities.

"...Maybe my gift is the result of some random mutation and I am not a true angel of the Lord..." she started, slow and quiet, "But nevertheless, I still treat it as a gift from God Himself. I was given wings, so that I may fly. I use my gift in the way it was intended and if others were not selected as I was, then they were obviously not blessed by Fate."

She continued onward, determined to lose this idiot before she reached the Academy. She had no time for his questions or queries and the general knowledge about angels was beginning to unnerve her very slightly.

This man...he may not be one to tread lightly with.

"I thought you were an advocate on good manners." she responded to his questioning. "Isn't it normally considered good manners to give your own name if you expect one in return?"

Remembering the man's lecture on manners, she then decided to add to her little speech.

"Sir?"

[Cruor & Oblitum]

oblitum gave another small chuckle as Creda chided him for his own lack of apparent lack of manners, "I suppose it would be my name is Oblitum, Oblitum Decepo. As previously stated i am the school councilor. Now which pseudo angel is it i have the pleasure of speaking to?" He then said in a somewhat mocking tone. Ironically enough out of any student he'd met so far this was the first to speak latin, meaning she would be the first to know that his name meant "forgotten", Adding in his surname to become ," Lose sight of deception". Oblitum vaguely wondered if this would render some response from the false angel. Not that it really mattered all that much, a name is after all just a name. It was after such thoughts that Oblitum began to contemplate letting the girl in on his own heritage to some extent, just to see how she would react.

[Creda Shields]

"Creda Shields." she answered coldly. It would have been a cold answer regardless of his name, but Creda had studied Latin for as long as she could remember. She knew what that name meant and a small chill went down her spine.

Lose sight of deception...

Her white eyes narrowed.

"You seem to know a lot about angelic culture..." she started slowly, actually stopping to look at the councillor. "Despite realising I am no celestial figure yet. You singled me out exclusively when you saw my wings. And your name..."

She stood firm, though her mind was racing as she said her next line.

"Would I be conversing with...a Prince Of Lies?"