aionlogs | EVENT #1: THE EMPTY THRONE (PT 2)

EVENT #1: THE EMPTY THRONE (PT 2)

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ You can only let sleeping dogs lay if you don't see them and accidentally tumble directly onto them? Not that he literally did in the middle of battle, but given their enclosed quarters and the absolute chaos that had been raised, it'd been hard to miss the centerpiece of the fight—and subsequently, the sight of this woman getting her throat torn out.

He's seen death and mangled bodies aplenty, but it's the first time he's ever seen someone just....stand back up after nearly being beheaded. The stunned surprise he'd been forced to tamp down back then bubbles back up to the surface, and he stare at her with a mixture of suspicion and confusion.

He does not, notably, let her see anything just yet. ]

What are you?

[ Eustace, you can't just ask a woman what she is?????? ]

[Ciel was... Well, not exactly afraid, per se, but she knew it was going to be troublesome once word got out. She just truly did not expect it to happen this soon, as convenient as it was to have irrefutable proof that her immortality had carried onto Horos this 'early' on. The process is slower, but present nonetheless, and as for the implications it may hold, she's simply chosen to not think about it for now.

His question has her straighten herself. Suspicion and confusion are valid, and both are preferable to fear.]

Something that can't die.

[She ultimately chooses to word it that way, over something ostentatiously edgy like monster or whatnot. It's Complicated, okay. She can't deny watching his reaction though, as much as she answered like she also would talking about the weather.]

[ An interesting turn of phrase, a little too vague for his tastes, but given everything that's happened in the last two weeks, now doesn't seem like the appropriate time to dig deeper into this mystery in front of him. Even if she had explained in more detail and rattled off some unfamiliar terminology, there's no guarantee he would have understood any of it.

Truly there'd been all types brought here, and he's not sure if that makes him feel better (because of the lack of discrimation) or worse (because whatever's behind all this must be powerful indeed).

So he accepts her (brief) answer for what it is, watching her silently for another handful of seconds before letting that particular subject drop. ]

Have you gotten your own injuries looked at already?

[ His injuries are....well, if not mild then at least not as severe as hers had been. Even if she can't die, she clearly also can't magically wink her injuries out of existence with a simple wave of her hand. ]

[As much as expositions did come second nature to her, that was from a time when she still walked a world with rules she knew and understood - especially after being informed her very existence became something that defied them. But here, in Horos?

Frankly, she has questions of her own, would very much like to know how her brand of immortality managed to be somewhat preserved. It didn't seem like something that would easily carry over, from one world onto the next, though she's not sure if even Xishen and the Regent may be able to answer, were she granted an opportunity to ask them to begin with. It wouldn't do to give out half-baked if not inaccurate information, plus they have more pressing things to worry about anyway.

So she waits after him, and it's with gratitude and relief she can only express with a faint lowering of her head that she accepts his willingness to move on.]

They heal on their own. The process is slower here, is all. I'm okay.

[Which is why she's making the rounds. Her 'condition' further explained, she looks back up survey his injuries. What about him? It's what drew her to him in the first place, but... She can't blame him if he's still suspicious, either.]

[ Press X to doubt.

No, just kidding, he's not going to disbelieve someone when it comes to their own body. If she says it'll heal then it'll heal. It's not as though they're rich with healers anyhow, Xishen one of the few able to move around and treat injuries with ease. Might as well conserve what resources they have, in case there are more battles to be fought later.

Truthfully he doesn't have the energy to doubt her in any case, the last of his adrenaline having worn off long ago. Now there's nothing left but the dull ache of too many cuts and bruises scattered around his body, as well as the louder sting of a number of deep slashes across his upper arm, still staining his sleeves with blood. An unfortunate reminder of his last fight, but better to limp away with a scar than to not be able to limp away at all. ]

If you have bandages, I should be able to take care of myself.

[ Not a complete dismissal of her offer of assistance, but he's always been too proud - too afraid? - to let anyone too close, physically or otherwise. ]

[He's valid tbh, who gets their throat ripped out and stand back up, much less act like nothing's happened?? Hella sus. But she doesn't look to be in critical condition for sure, weakened but functional. There's not a trace of aftershock in her demeanor either, calm and collected as if she's used to whatever the heck that was. ...Not the most comforting company to be in, she wouldn't fault anyone for thinking as much.]

I can heal. [The magical sense is implied.] I'm not a healer by trade, but I should be able help with surface wounds. May I stop the bleeding and treat the bruises on your arm? It won't take long.

[A bit wordy, but after everything they've suffered as a collective, she may as well try to be more detailed. Explaining to him exactly what she thinks she's capable of and plans to do are the least that she can offer, if he's willing to have her help with his wounds.]

[ She can magically recover after getting her throat ripped out and she can heal others too? Damn, someone sure won in the handy dandy powers lottery. Meanwhile, all he can do is shoot a gun and hear good. Note to self: let her take the front lines the next time they have to engage in another skirmish.

Maybe by then he'll be able to get his hands on a gun of some sort and won't be completely useless.

Anyway, her offer's nice but: ]

Shouldn't you be resting instead of expending more energy?

[ Said with a frown. Look, he's not averse to speeding up his recovery with the aid of a little magic healing, but not at the expense of her passing out in front of him? He's not that much of an asshole, thanks. ]

[Yeah she sure did win the powers lottery, it only cost her her birth name and everything associated to that, nbd. At least he has cute doggo ears... A good pair of T&A are a dime a dozen when you're an anime girl, tragic backstory or not. Smh...]

My physical condition doesn't really affect my magical output. I can rest once we're finished here, there will be time later.

[Well she hasn't witnessed him in any asshole-ish behavior so far, if anything she probably gained more asshole cred by staging a hostage situation, but you gotta do what you gotta do to get work done. He just seems wary of her from where she stands, which is completely justifiable and understandable after everything she's done and shown herself capable of. But yeah she'll take the front lines, leave it to the human punching bag (ง'-')ง]

[ Thanks for taking one for the team, Ciel, he'll nominate her and Childe for Kenoma MVP once they make it back to the Regent. For now, he'll settle for letting her offer a helping hand, even if he's not entirely convinched she should be exerting more effort on people not herself. ]

Fine.

[ He could really afford to sound more grateful about getting patched up by a cute girl, but tragically he's never been grateful for anything in his life. At least he can be a good patient this once, obedient as he does whatever she instructs him to do.

Unfortunately, that doesn't stop him from opening his mouth again, because he still has questions he wants answered. ]

What else can you do?

[ A terribly broad question, but truthfully he'll take whatever answer she's willing to give. Might as well learn about what his new teammates can do while they're stuck here for the time being. ]

[Thanks for the dubious honors Eustace... Childe can have Employee of the Month award, Ciel just wants to bring up their overall average...

His curt and clipped answer is perfect honestly, to the point and doesn't clutter the exchange with unneeded sentiments. She's not doing this for favors or recognition, so it works just fine for her that he keeps it brief. Thus she moves on to treating him similarly, without further formalities or flair. Gingerly propping his arm up by the elbow with one hand while the other holds up a clean and damp towel, she focuses on stopping the bleeding and closing the deepest gash first.]

A bit of everything, though I don't excel in any field in particular. Jack of all trades, if you will.

[A beat, while the cooling and numbing sensation in his upper arm spreads. It may not be immediate relief, but it's still notable to the naked eye that the magical healing is running its course: the bleeding is slowing, and some uglier patches of dark colors are thinning.]

If that's too vague, how would you like for me to specify?

[They're talking purely in terms of combat, right... She can't say she's very keen on rambling about herself, but abilities are fair game to future teammates, as much as she's used to flying solo.]

[ He watches her work with some small amount of fascination, head tipping down to better see her movements; though there had been healers aplenty of the magical variety aboard the Grandcypher, he'd never had cause to seek them out for treatment, his work with the Society taking precedence above all else. And the Society had always preferred technological advancements to magical.

But the Society doesn't exist here and neither does the Foe (as far as he can tell). There's no use clinging to old beliefs and methods if they won't benefit him in some way. His only option is to move forward and make sure of what few resources are available to him—which includes his new 'teammates'. Even if he's not a people person by any means, he can understand how pushing them away at a time like this might leave him at a large disadvantage.

At least this one is practical and not overly chatty. ]

Are you skilled with weapons? Or do you rely more on magic?

[ This is starting to turn into some weird interview-esque situation. At least the effects of her healing feel nice, some of his pain subsiding slightly as she works. ]

[His injuries aren't pretty, but it's nothing particularly severe. It shows from how he was handling himself before and his current demeanor that he's no stranger to pain, it's not the sort of cool acceptance made possible by just an aloof and detached personality alone. On her end, she's just refining and pouring in her own mana, the unorthodox mixed casting of thaumaturgy and sacrament she employs doesn't seem to have weakened any in Horos when it came to treating uncomplicated wounds. There's hardly any visuals beyond a faint glow, healing on its part isn't any flashy affair where she comes from.]

I prefer weapons, but can use magic offensively and defensively when necessary.

[She doesn't seem to mind at least, answering tit for tat as she continues tending to his arm with undivided focus. Any sort of small talk could help with retaining a calm mindset during treatment, and for one resolved to be useful regardless of method or cost, she can't wholly deny that part of this is self-serving anyhow.]

[ He files that information away, recalling just enough of the battle in the cavern to remember the sight of her brandishing a whip. One of the few weapons he'd never learned to use, his own preference for guns manifestng early on in his training, but she'd appeared competent enough (insofar as he can judge these types of things). Not someone to be on the wrong side of—though considering the beating he'd taken, neither are several of their former compatriots.

But, speaking of the whip, another question bubbles to the surface. He lifts his gaze, expression tinged with a hint of curiosity. ]

Were you able to use the whip? [ And, realizing the lack of clarity in his question, he adds: ] The way the soldiers were using them before.

[ Back when they were all equal prisoners in the eyes of whatever god this land prays to. ]

[Bows, guns, swords, lances... She's done a little bit of everything, jack of all trades was really the most succinct way of putting it.

She briefly glances up in turn at his question, but there isn't any change of expression on her face, and within the next beat, she's back at looking over his arm again.

...]

To an extent. [It ~~will~~ did happen. ~~Looks away~~] There did seem to be some effect when I tried. [Which was just once, to be fair, but she's not saying that first part out loud. If there was a second time, it wasn't on purpose, but it COULD explain why Estinien suddenly snapped, come to think of it.]

[ ~~Live your best life, Ciel.~~

'Some' is more than 'none', and the admittance of even the smallest amount of efficacy has him straightening some, eyes sharpening as he contemplates the possible effects being able to use the whips might have. Was it something unique to her that allowed her to use it as intended? Or something else entirely?

He's not a whip man but he'll take whatever advantage he can get. ]

Was there anything you had to do in order to make it work?

[ Even if it's not something he'll be able to replicate, it'll be useful knowledge for the future. ]

[~~This one is her worst tbh in more ways than one but thanks for the sentiment,~~

Her eyes narrow in thotught, and she almost looks vaguely troubled by the recollection.]

You have to will it, I believe. It's half conjecture and half experience, as the person I've had it work best against was also a very mentally unstable individual. [She's just stating things as they are, as far as she's concerned.] It was as if he wanted to be ~~[whipped collared and stepped on]~~ put down. ...Given what they've had to endure throughout the past week, however, it may be lingering aftereffects of their circumstances.

[Somewhere on Horos a scrawny tired beat up depressed looking Korean salaryman may or may not be sneezing into colorful flowers and it's not allergies,]

[ This is just divine retribution for certain depressed looking Korean salarymen for actively trying to punch teenagers in the face.

But Dokja isn't the important part of this story, the important part is that they (the newly accepted Kenoma) are capable of using the whips that had previously been used against them. Would things be different if he were on the receiving end of one of those whips now, as compared to before? He supposes the easiest way to find out would be to ask this woman to use her whip on him, but (unlike certain depressed looking Korean salarymen) he can't say he relishes the thought of being ~~whipped collared and stepped on~~ put down right at this moment.

Maybe later, when he's not slowly bleeding out onto the ground and feeling like he's just been rammed into by an airship. ]

Mm.

[ That's it, that's his very enthused reply to this small wealth of information she's provided. Ah, but wait, there's one more question coming, this one a litle more personal than the ones before. ]

Did it bother you, having to use it as more than just a physical restraint?

[ She does look a little troubled still, though whether that's due to the use of the whip or her choice in victim he can't fully say. ]

[More like the duality of Ciel, he got a lap pillow out of her during part one but was too delirious AND depressed to comment about it. So obviously during part two she had to whip him around to prove a point, nbd,

Indeed, which is why she's taking his question seriously and answering in kind. This would be useful information after all, especially if they're highly likely to fight again in the future.

Meanwhile, the swelling and bruises on Eustace's arm have significantly faded. There's only the main gash left.]

...No. I willingly tried testing it on that man because of his attitude and behavior, not because I needed that power.

[That it worked says more about Dokja tbh, but she's not here to slander him. She's just wondering what his deal is, and the troubled air vanishes just like that. Now, to focus on that gash...]

[ Girl really works miracles here, huh? Note to self: if he gets his ass handed to him again in the future (hopefully not), ask her for Round Two of a nice numbing cure. Just kidding, he already owes her enough for this assist. He really would prefer not to be in her debt any further, even if it's entirely self-perceived.

Her answer makes sense though, and he nods once absently. Just because she can doesn't mean she has to or even needs to; with how much she already has at her disposal, one single whip probably won't make much of a difference.

There's more he could ask, but with the clarity of mind that comes with the worst of his pain receding comes also the realization that he is fucking tired. Maybe after a hot meal and a hotter shower, he'll seek her out again with further questions. For now, he's content to let her finish her work. By now, the worst of the tension has left his body, his shoulders sagging downwards with fatigue. ]

[Better yet just team up with her the next time they have Work... The best way to treat injuries is to not get hurt at all in the first place, right 🌌🧠

She takes note of his silence, and does not say more. If his breathing seems to be evening out too, then...

...

There, done.]

We'll be leaving soon to board a ship by the river, according to Xishen. Please hang in there until then.

[Her work finished, she lets go and takes a step back. This isn't the time nor place for idle chitchat, on top of him looking like he could really use a nap. She should rest too, she knows, but... Not until they've finished everything here, there's still loose ends to tie up. She doesn't do things halfway, and she's not about to start now.]

[ Xishen..... He doesn't recall hearing the name, but he's smart enough (even after getting the snot beat out of him) to put two and two together. Reflexively, his eyes flick over to where Xishen stands on the far side of the cavern, calmly treating yet another of their wounded crew.

He has a lot of questions for her as well, but later. After a meal and a nap.

Which he thinks the both of them could use as he surveys Ciel a second time, noting the streaks of blood that cover her clothing. Even if she holds herself well and talks in a clear voice still, there's no one who won't benefit from a good rest right now. But showing any amount of concern for a person has always been difficult for him, and his voice remains gruff when he replies. ]

...The same for you.

[ Don't overwork yourself, Ciel. :/ :/

But like a good patient, he'll do as ordered, pushing himself up back into a standing position before slowly shuffling towards the direction of the boat. ]

[Pot, kettle?? 8//

He doesn't need to make it flowery or sound caring for her to get the message. Polite at worst and concerned at best are still more than she deserves. They're on the same "side", and it's only natural to look after each other.

...That's all.]

Mm.

[With a soft hum of acknowledgement, she goes the opposite way. She'll just finish this round; she'll not dally and join him after, along with everyone else.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

EVENT #1: THE EMPTY THRONE (PT 2)

ciel..............

eustace..............

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