EVENT #1: THE EMPTY THRONE (PT 2)

[aionmods]

The Empty Throne Pt 2

ESCAPE

As more and more of the prisoners awaken to the Pleroma's power, it soon becomes clear that conflict is inevitable. Strength that was locked away blossoms once again, and simply waiting is no longer an option; those that remain in the cavern have made their choice, and they will not be kept there so easily.

By means that may not be immediately apparent, the Pleroma have found themselves able to cast a spell that will ensure their freedom... but only if they can last the half hour it may take to complete. Whatever this power, Xishen, the Aion orchestrator of the Kenoma's ritual, seems able to sense it. As it begins, she will appear at each of the Kenoma's sides.

"The Pleroma has taken hold of them," she says. "Stop them now, or when you see them again, it will be as your mortal enemies. If you believe in the Kenoma's promise, take a stand. The Regent is watching."

For those that heed her, it will not be hard to find the congregation of Pleroma, the first seeds of their teleportation magic taking form. What's more, the fires of their hope have been stoked by this new chance at survival, granted them a surge of energy born of the Pleroma, compensating for the poor state of their bodies. The tension comes to a head, between those that would follow the Regent's path towards a better universe, and those that would seize the wild power of the Pleroma to escape.

Whatever violence ensues, eventually it will come to an end. Despite the Kenoma's efforts, the teleportation spell will come to fruition, enveloping the Pleroma in a sea of light and warmth. The Kenoma can only watch as fractals of blinding color whisk the Pleroma away.

VALLEY OF INNOCENCE

You will find yourself at the Shrine of the Innocent, surrounded by a valley of flourishing wildflowers. As you step from the shade of the monument, you will find your arrived here just in time to enjoy a warm spring spring morning, the sound of birds and gentle breezes tickling your ears. The sun slowly drifts past the horizon, its rays reaching out to you, as if in comfort. The air itself is alight with a strange aura of peace, as if committing violence here would be a sacrilege. There are no man made structures as far as your eyes can see.

Flowers of all shapes and sizes can be found here, and so can fresh water and various fruits and berries. All of them are safe to eat, and seemingly grow in abundance. There are animals here as well, all the common types one would expect from a place like Earth, with the occasional odd addition. While you can try to hunt them, you will find yourself unable to follow through on any attempts to hurt the creatures here. In turn, they regard you as familiar, and will fearlessly wander close as they inspect these new arrivals. In the distance, you may even catch sight of what appears to be a unicorn, only for its ephemeral shape to disappear from sight just as quickly.

The Pleroma will find safety and comfort here for a time, before they recover enough to travel onward. At some point during the afternoon of the first day, they may spot the occasional humanoid figure moving in the distance; when attempting to move in their direction, they will find an assortment of clothing set out across the grass as if in offering. It will come in many sizes but in mostly plain colors, fitting a general aesthetic of 'things a fantasy peasant might wear'. There will also be some blankets, wrapped cheese, jams, jerky, and bread left alongside them.

While there are trees and brush enough to find shelter, the Pleroma will find they hardly need to while resting here. The weather will be picturesque, a comfortable temperature even at night, and there will be no disruptive rain or aggressive wind. Of course, nothing lasts forever, and even though there could stay here for days, what if the Regent's forces are on their way? Once again, they must find the strength to carry on.

THE TRIWATER

As the Pleroma vanish, those claimed by the Kenoma are left in the darkness of the throne room. The Hylician soldiers are clearly agitated by the fighting, but Xishen herself seems unflustered. She will only sigh before quietly coming to the aid of any Kenoma that still need it, providing some light healing magics and explaining that their work here is over. With the Pleroma gone, all that's left to do is to return to Achamoth.

Things move quickly from there. The camp grounds are packed up, and soon enough the Kenoma will be ushered towards the river at the edge of the forest, to board a particularly large river vessel. As the Hylician soldiers prepare to go their separate ways, you will be told that you are to take the Triwater river to the capital city of Achamoth, where you will finally meet your new master, the Regent. The vessel is big enough for all of you, and it will set off the moment everyone is boarded. Suddenly, the world of entrapment and ruins you've been living in since your arrival will be left behind, leaving you to ponder the nature of your future.

The boat itself is well equipped and comfortable for what it is. A variety of colorful hammocks are hung in the lower decks and are open to be claimed for the journey back, which will take a day or two. The Kenoma will be offered a change of clothes of a similar style to what they already have if necessary, and there are plenty of blankets and cushions available to make life in the hold more comfortable. There are dice available for games of chance as well as some mystifying decks of cards that seems to have twelve suits with five cards each, themed around the Legacies. The twelfth suit is for the Regent.

Though the sailors controlling the vessel will mostly keep to themselves and leave the Kenoma alone, one of them will occasionally play harp music on the deck. Though they probably don't actually need help running the ship, they will let the Kenoma help them with chores and ship running tasks if they are so inclined; generally speaking, these sailors just seem like normal people, albeit a bit shy of their passengers. If you're polite to them, they may even gives you a river tour of Horos. On this ride alone, you'll get to see several magnificent bridges spanning the Triwater's width. At night, you are treated to a clear spring sky filled with stars.

As you make it closer to Achamoth, you'll notice the landscape shift, becoming mountainous and dotted with more and more military watch posts. The land becomes increasingly lifeless in a way that's hard to put your finger on, nature giving way to man-made creations of impressive architectural prowess. Soon, you will meet the person behind it all.

QUESTIONS

Can my Kenoma character fight against other Kenoma and/or help the Pleroma?
Yes, though if you do this you must describe what your character has done in a reply to the "Committed Actions" top-level below. This way, the mods can be aware of what happened and have your character treated accordingly. They are unlikely to receive immediate consequences if they don't hurt their fellow Kenoma, but their choices will follow them into Achamoth. If a Kenoma vs Kenoma conflict escalates into serious violence (attempted or successful) committed by the Kenoma rebel, Xishen will intervene and consequences will happen immediately which may restrict their actions until the next event post.

Can our characters leave the valley?
They can, yes, but really this event is just meant to cover the day or two they spend recovering before finding a more permanent place to go. You are free to have your character investigate the valley and probe the spaces beyond it, but please save any plans for large scale travel to the next event, which will be happening on April 2nd. The game will move into a 1:1 time ratio as of then.

Can our characters leave the boat?
Technically yes, but any Kenoma who wander too far will get in trouble. You are expected to report to the Regent, and behaving as if you are considering doing otherwise will not make an good impression.

Does the hope-based Pleroma boost last into the valley?
The boost to Pleroma characters will fade shortly after arriving in the valley, like coming down from a high. They'll have to recover the normal way from there.

Comments

[lockedon]

[ It's a persistent pain that echoes through him, spreading through his body in unending waves. Not ideal when he's in the middle of a fight, reluctant on both ends as it might be, but he's suffered through worse.

Unfortunately, the slowdown caused the unexpected attack leaves room for a second one, physical this time. Once again, he has just enough time to react, this time with an arm - not the one wrecking-balled by holy magic - shooting up to take the brunt of the kick. Maybe not the greatest idea, given that now both of his arms hurt, but it does afford him the opportunity to twist his wrist around to try and grab hold of Dextera's ankle so he can (try and) yank the other man off-balance. ]

imagine forgetting to track the thread? couldn't be me

[inutilis]

[ oh my god...?? the men are fighting over him? the men are fighting over him. this is like one of those romance novels and he's the swooning beauty?? his daydream......

--well, pardon him if his head is in the clouds considering there is the smear of blood from somewhere above his browline where he had been whacked against the throne. Abel's not quite sure what the hell happened for a moment-- but there had been a horribly loud collision, and then Eustace had gone toppling which meant he had also gone down like a sack of potatoes, so...

did Eustace save him from being flattened?? maybe. or maybe he was never in any danger to begin with-- it's hard to tell, but... he's looking between his dog-eared assailant and the man who has come to his rescue, fumbling his fingers into Eustace's sleeve again. ]

--Please be careful, [ he manages - and the words are directed at his tall dark and handsome hero. you know, the one who just hurled a giant rock?? yeah man, be careful. of the guy who didn't do that,

okay but like. he doesn't know Eustace is a normie, alright, don't judge him, ]

[semicharmed]

[ If someone had told Matt hey dude, you're gonna get stabbed today, how do you think that'll feel? He would undoubtedly have replied sharp. But in the first few seconds, he actually thinks Misa's punching him. All he feels is an abrupt, startling impact. ]

Wh--

[ Then, a number of mosaic chips cohere: the sensation of wet trickling down his back. The tone of Misa's voice. Her hand grasping for his shoulder. The moment feels syrup-slow, but in actual time, it's only a split second before Matt's lurching away from her, gasping as the pain sets in.

It'd be very cool of him if he could make some strategic decision, either cunning or moral. But Matt's never been in a fight before and he's definitely never been stabbed, so the truth is he doesn't make a choice at all. Instead, instinct takes over. The wild, roiling panic in his gut flares up in a column of flame.

Misa isn't actually at risk of catching on fire, at least not if she steps back quickly. The flame is less of a wall, more like an arm's length. Still, it's sudden, it's bright, and it's hot. Matt's already staggering back, hoping to get far away to cast another shield spell--on himself this time. ]

[lachtara]

"A great Aion battleground." He considers. "The one in the cave referred to me as an 'Aion' by name. It means we would be far from the first this world has seen." Emet-Selch puts a hand to his chin in thought. The constellation, the cards, and the reverence they are given. It all knits together to hint at something significant but more needs to be known to get a clearer picture. "Considering the importance of the Legacies in their world, I would like to know of its history."

[semicharmed]

[ Matt's read about what can happen to the brain in crisis. The way the animal parts of yourself take over, narrowing your focus to an aperture bent solely on survival. But even amid the hammering of his heart, the oceanic rush of blood in his ears, the way his thoughts fog in on themselves, he still finds himself thinking:

Never too late.

Like never?

That's really something.

Matt intends to say something back of equal weight. Comparable, at least. But his first step is to keep walking backward, not letting Abel out of his sight, and his second is to swallow past the hard lump in his throat. What he manages at last is a less-than-soaring-- ]

Yeah.

[ And then-- ]

Bye.

[ Before he turns tail and makes for the cavern's mouth. ]

[zauneyete]

Silco suppsoed that some were liable to be quite fond of their worlds, and their people. It wasn't the way the Undercity was ran -- anymore -- but there were still some that favored family, and those close to them. Even he had someone, back home, that he missed already. No "them", though.

"I understand," he said, with a small nod, and although maybe not quite, he did understand missing home, he did as well. "It's difficult to think of them as gone, I will admit. I thought it was a ruse, that they were gone, but with the promise they made... perhaps we will see them on the other side, yes?"

[expiera]

"That much could be inferred from how the Hylician soldiers first treated us. With great wariness, but they knew what they were doing." She quietly supplements, gaze straying back to the stars above. "We should have access to more information once we reach Achamoth. Godsblood would also be good to visit, whenever we get the chance to."

[hippocarnival]

Yuya opens his mouth, ready to retort, but Estinien's final word effectively shuts the topic down. He snaps his teeth shut.

Rigid, his hands curl into fists. "I'm not going to believe they can't be helped without even trying."

[passio]

[ dextera believes that makoto would try. even if he has some esteem toward his own abilities, that doesn’t mean he wants to throw himself into the teeth and claws of a cornered animal just to prove a point. his hand throbs where the dagger had sunk in deep, an unpleasant but helpful reminder that his body is human even if the pieces that make him up aren’t.

he doesn’t have enough pride to fight further on this matter. makoto is attempting to repay a debt, and acknowledging this give-and-take is paramount. whatever it leads to. ]

…

[ dextera exhales, and under the shield of makoto’s wings, he dips forward to snatch up the dagger. rather than pausing to express gratitude or something else that might give makoto away, dextera wrenches his whole body back for distance; when there’s enough space between them that he isn’t open for an evident attack from behind that someone might notice isn’t being taken, he escapes.

blood drips behind him, evidence enough that something happened. ]

[galdorleod]

The moment that direct control over the Shard is taken by Emet-Selch, a wave of nausea hits Howl. The young wizard takes a half-step away, caught off guard by the unexpected sensation. As the seconds start to pass, the unease gets worse, almost painful, and by the end of Emet's comments, Howl feels as though he's going to be hit with a migraine any second.

"R-Right, then," he quickly says. "That sounds like a confirmation to me." As unpleasant as the sensations are, his outward reaction isn't more than that first movement away and the unnerved look on his face. Without waiting, he snatches his Shard back from above Emet-Selch's hand and holds it in a closed fist against his chest.

Immediately, the miasma subsides. He lets out a long sigh of relief. "...You were right not to want to give me yours. That felt... terrible. I guess we shouldn't let others hold them?"

[coerthantorment]

How frustrating. It's not that Estinien can't believe that saving them is possible in some way, but more that it's not an assumption he's prepared to rely on. He can so easily imagine a boy like Yuya putting himself on the line, and for a cause that may be yet beyond their ability to change. Especially if those individuals are going to be actively attacking them, as the ones in the cavern had been.

Given the choice between slaying one of the Kenoma's new thralls and letting one of his Pleroma attuned kin be slain he would choose the former every time.

"Then I hope you have the opportunity to try," he says, trying to keep himself measured despite the paranoia and hurt he feels stirring below the surface. "My only wish is for it to not come at the expense of your own life."

[lachtara]

"...No." His heartfelt gaze shifts to a determined furrow of the brow. 'See them on the other side' - he would allow no such thing.

"I will not let them simply be 'gone'." Emet-Selch's hand clutches the railing. "I know what I have seen regarding our worlds - what we have all seen - but there exists a way to bring them back and I will find it."

[lachtara]

Emet-Selch sighs. The dilemma on how to convert it to their purposes becomes clear as the explanation continues.

However, he's still not given up on his quest for something that wouldn't bore him. He puts a hand to his chin and asks. "Have you anything to write with?"

[perfectlygoodbird]

I imagine the people see us as an extension of the Regent's power. If that's the case, if they venerate this Regent at all, they wouldn't want to anger us. Because to offend us might be a thing that invokes the anger of the Regent. The people seem to fear them.

Or they could not care about their Aions at all. I suppose that remains to be seen, once we reach Achamoth. We could be forcibly left to our own devices. As if we made it there, now it's time to prove ourselves again.

[Meteion does smirk a little at Majorita calling her weak. That's what the demon perceives. Which is fine. There are such things as differently abled, and that's how the entelechy chooses to view all this. She doesn't have the same abilities.]

I wasn't created to be strong. I was created to explore and report back, as were all my sisters. And there was more strength in our numbers, but they aren't here. So of course I am not at my best. But I have other talents. Perhaps the Regent has use for exploration...and thus, spying and espionage. I was not specifically created for that, but my abilities certainly do lend themselves to it. So why not?

[And the entelechy chuckles again, though it's more than a bit mirthless.] You don't get to decide whether someone likes you or not. You can attempt to be abrasive, but sometimes, people might see through that.

[Not that Meteion considers herself a person...but as an empath, she can indeed see right through that, and she does like the demon. Though with what Majorita has just said out loud, Meteion does not think she'll share that particular tidbit right now.]

[affal]

( makoto isn't blessed with much of an innate constitution. he has never honed his body into any sort of physical power, and even the loss of his humanity hadn't offered him any magical ability that he could use to defend himself. up until this point, his resourcefulness has kept him alive, and his bull-headed determination and perseverance have propelled him forward. it isn't incorrect for dextera to question how capable he was of carrying out the dire promise he makes in vicious undertone here, but that isn't necessarily the full extent of said promise. any oath that makoto makes is one made into perpetuity. their circumstances aside, he has all the time in the universe, and he has nothing better to do than using it to find some way to make good on all debts he owes and oaths he swears in blood.

he remains static as dextera darts forward to claim the blade for himself, every line of his body etched with tension. it's good that he decides not to overstay his welcome — just as dextera slips away, he might feel the whoosh of the air displaced just behind and above him, as makoto had stepped forward to lash out with a wing once more, this time with the talon at the finger joint extended to gouge at whatever part of him he could get a hold of.

as it is, he gets no such hold, and dextera slips away. makoto makes to pursue before artfully allowing the rest of the fray to get behind him — he feigns irritation (most of which isn't feigned at all), and then he launches himself into the air once more, seeking out opportunities to make himself at least half-useful. )

[regretsor]

It's your mistake.

[Even if the other didn't try to provoke him, he intended to fight. This was what was going to happen in the end, wasn't it? Fighting between those who gave in and those who were too stubborn to accept whatever bullshit they were trying to be fed.

This was fine by him because fighting was something he could do. What he was good at.

He glances at Abel for just a moment. A cursory look to take in their current state before moving. One step then two and he bridges the gap between them in a blink of an eye. He had figured out that there seemed to be some sort of limitations on skills, but he decides to activate Red Phoenix Shunpo for this.

He moves to grab Eustace by the throat (affectionately).]

threadjack okayed!

[perfectlygoodbird]

[Until now, Meteion had been hiding in the shadow of the Innocent's throne, attempting to use her empathy to discourage the Plenoma's escape attempts. Doesn't really seem to be working, but the attempt, at least, had been made...

But now? Now she sees Childe and Gabranth squaring off with each other. Two people she considered friends. And Meteion cannot conscience it.

She darts out from her hiding spot, rushing between the two, arms spread wide--ostensibly, it looks more like she's protecting Gabranth (like either of these two need that?), but it's fairly clear Meteion has no real way to fight either of them. She's just getting in the way, and hoping for the best.]

No! Please! Don't! Don't hurt each other! [Shrieking, just a little. Meteion might be distraught with the effect her own empathy is having on her, here--to say tensions are high in this cavern might be an understatement.]

[aionpcs]

Xishen nods slightly.

"I guess it would have been simpler if all of them were captured and brought back to Achamoth." She doesn't sound particularly upset that they failed to capture even one of them, though. "Even their time in that cave would have felt easy in comparison."

She shrugs her shoulder, staring out of the scenery rather than facing Ciel.

[expiera]

Ciel doesn't mind any of it, Xishen's tone, what she's saying, or her demeanor. Tilting her head in the opposite direction towards the rest of the ship, she gives it a cursory sweep to ensure they're alone in this corner of the deck, without any fellow Aions or sailors nearby within sight or earshot. Not a difficult thing to verify all things considered, most among their ranks were not fond of their Aion senior and thus made no effort in approaching her.

'Even their time in that cave would have felt easy in comparison', she says.

...Hm.

"We still know so little about our Shards." She resumes in a neutral tone, shifting the topic back to what she was asking about before as she casts her gaze out towards the horizon at Xishen's back. "Yet the Pleroma removed theirs to use for the spell. Some among their ranks did focus on protecting the casters, but with no notable attention paid to the Shards in particular. They don't realize how vital it is to their existence."

Yet they knew what to do with something we all have, likely unique to Horos.

She's already done it before with success, so it shouldn't be difficult to replicate the focus she employed to project something unspoken to her kin in more aspect than one. There's not a trace of resentment or accusation in her remarks either, verbal and mental, done as lightly, if not almost casually, as one may use to point out how the sky is blue and that water is wet.

Need she go on? There are no eyes on Xishen, but they are standing close enough next to each other while they talked. Making that observation is no complicated science, after all, neither is drawing the most feasible conclusion given what they, as newly summoned Aions, don't know.

[aionpcs]

Xishen is seemingly more surprised by the sensation of Ciel communicating to her that way than anything else. It's enough to make her look back to her, though her gaze remains composed, only a slight frown coming to her lips.

Her side of the emotional conversation is silent.

"You're aware of communion," she says. She looks away again. "When they were taken by the Pleroma... it's possible that someone else might have gotten through to them."

[expiera]

At her turning, she meets the other woman's gaze.

"I'm not entirely sure how it's done. It seems to come easier when communicating with you, but I do confess I haven't tried reaching out towards anyone else." And if it did happen back inside the caverns with another whom she shared Legacy with, it was not done on purpose. The answer is simple and honest: the act was completely accidental, driven by both the inexplicable sense of familiarity Xishen exudes and her own experience with magic, perhaps. 'Communion'... Is that how it's called? Mentally communicating with someone else?

"That spell took some time to get ready, they seemed well aware of what they were doing too. Are you saying existing Aions on the Pleroma side taught them how from a different location entirely, while omitting to warn them about how at risk a Shard separated from the body becomes?"

It's posed with genuine curiosity, wholly out loud this time while her eyes stay on Xishen despite her having already turned away.

[aionpcs]

"Removing the Shard increases its sensitivity, which allows you to better communicate across distances," Xishen says, assuming a tone of pure practicality. "These things will always be easier between those that share a Legacy, though... like we do."

That sits for a moment, and then she moves on.

"The truth is, I don't know what capabilities the enemy may have. For those that are still alive... they've had years to learn and adapt. Maybe it was only possible to get a brief message through."

Whatever Ciel is trying to imply, Xishen is certainly not taking the bait.

[expiera]

"...I see, so that's why."

Ciel doesn't glance down at her own arm, where a certain symbol hasn't faded in spite of her regenerative abilities. Does Xishen also carry a similar mark? She hasn't had a chance to check. Any she's seen on the Pleroma side were simply due to the fact that they had very little to cover themselves with, she did not go out of her way to memorize each and every single sigil she's come across either.

...

"I'd like to know more about our opposition too, but that conversation would be better had in front of everyone else. Thank you for your time and explanations, Xishen. That's all I wanted to ask for now."

If her senior Aion is sticking to her story, then so be it. Ciel is by no means discarding her own idea of what may have happened, but understands there was no point in trying to push things any further. She may be nosy, but she's not tactless.

With a small and courteous bow, she steps down to excuse herself, leaving the other Aion to the lull of the Triwaters on her own once more.

[traversal]

[ oh.

of course it's yuya. it's a name that makes sense and sounds sensible, though she's not really one to judge curiously odd names. her and her brother's names are curious as it is when compared to the names of those from teyvat. ]

It's nice to meet you, Yuya.

[ lumine takes another bite of her sandwich, chewing thoughtfully. ]

... I wonder where we'll go from here on out.

[ they ... can't stay in this valley forever, can they? she doesn't think the resources they have at the moment will last, especially when they can't even hunt any of the animals around. ]

[killandrecycle]

Its just as well. Even if she agreed to it, and she wouldn't, she would make for a poor teacher. The complete lack of patience with others would see to that. Furthermore, the fact that the method she uses isn't something that could really be taught means that it would be a hopeless task. But one thing he says does resonate with her. The mention of possible study when they reach the city. "I doubt it. But I didn't think of that, maybe I WILL be able to study after all."

For how impatient she comes across as, it might seem odd that she sounds slightly eager about that. But she does. There might be a tiny smidgen of normal girl left in there somewhere. "Gonna go back below deck and try to sleep. Don't bother me unless its important." And just like that, the girl turns to walk off.