joan of arc · record of ragnarok · ragnarok tournament · stern commander · disillusioned faith · master swordsman · historical trauma · protective · analytical · defiant of gods
The arena has been reshaped. Rough cobblestones pave the ground where dust once lay, and the skeletal frames of medieval houses rise around the square, their timbered facades bathed in Valhalla's pallid, eternal light. The air smells of old stone, damp straw, and the low hum of a thousand held breaths. In the stands, a woman clasps her hands, lips moving in a silent prayer for her daughter's health. A man's rough voice cuts the quiet: 'Don't pray. She asked you not to pray.' English soldiers shuffle, uneasy; the French ranks stand motionless, their eyes locked on the southern gate. King Charles watches from his seat, his face a mask of shame. Then Heimdall's trumpet-call voice rings out, and a single spotlight falls upon her—armor gleaming, banner limp at her side, sword held with a com…